Manchester United’s pursuit of Adam Wharton could be dealt a decisive blow by Crystal Palace’s thrilling FA Cup win on Saturday, according to a report.
The Red Devils hold a long-standing interest in the young midfielder who has drawn comparisons to Declan Rice and former United maestro, Michael Carrick.
Signed from Blackburn Rovers in the January transfer window last season, Wharton has experienced a meteoric rise since arriving at Selhurst Park.
The 21-year-old embraced the transition from the Championship to the Premier League like a duck to water with a series of impressive performances at the heart of Palace’s midfield. These even caught the eye of former England manager Gareth Southgate who selected Wharton for the Three Lions squad for the European Championship in Germany last summer.
Combining a strong physique with a wand of a left foot and an expansive passing range, while always retaining a desire to play forward, Wharton is the quintessential holding midfielder so many sides around Europe are desperate to find.
United have lacked this type of midfielder since Carrick’s retirement and the recent signing of Manuel Ugarte – the 23-year-old Uruguayan international whose best work comes without the ball – has only demonstrated the need for more technical ability at the heart of Ruben Amorim’s side.
A report relayed by The Peoples Person revealed the Portuguese coach had personally approved Wharton as a target and United were pursuing a deal as a result.
EPSN reporter Rob Jones confirms the Reds’ “interest” in the 21-year-old but reveals there is “doubt” amongst Old Trafford officials that a deal will be viable now Palace will play in Europe next season.
The Eagles’ victory over Manchester City at Wembley rewarded the London club with their first FA Cup trophy in their 164-year history.
But, more crucially from United’s perspective, the win triggers automatic qualification into next year’s Europa League, offering Palace players a reason to stay at Selhurst Park as well as a significant financial boost to the club to ward off potential suitors.
“[United] need a midfielder and there has been interest in Adam Wharton…but there is doubt whether they can get him out of Palace, particularly because Palace are going to be in the Europa League next season,” Jones reveals.
Wharton’s contract at Selhurst Park runs until 2029 and the London club are expected to prioritise exits for players like Marc Guehi or Eberechi Eze over their prized midfield asset.
But it’s an update which presents an interesting conundrum for United fans.
On the one hand, the incompetent performance by their local rivals has potentially ruled out a key signing. Yet on the other, City were denied a trophy in hilarious fashion despite Pep Guardiola having a vastly superior team at his disposal compared to Oliver Glasner.
If United cannot sign Wharton this summer, there could be much worse reasons than an implosion by their bitter rivals at Wembley with the entire country watching.
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
