Manchester United and Liverpool are set to battle it out for the signature of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton this summer, according to various reports.
The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the hottest talents in English football since his initial £18 million move to Selhurst Park from Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers in January 2024. His form in the second half of the 2024/25 season at his new home earned a first call up to the national team, where he made his debut in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Wharton impressed enough to land a space in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, which England eventually lost 2-1 to Spain in the final. However, the youngster failed to make a single appearance during the tournament.
Last season was heavily disrupted by injury, with the playmaker making just 20 Premier League appearances. Despite that, he recovered to clinch a first FA Cup for the London-based team, where they defeated Manchester City in the final.
Wharton To Leave Palace At The End Of The Season?
It’s no secret that a number of Europe’s top clubs have been keeping an eye on the young star’s development. The likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have been linked across the continent, whilst the majority of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’ are all said to be interested.
Reports emerged earlier this week that Palace have accepted the fact that they will lose their key player this summer. As such, it was claimed that they had slapped an upfront fee of £65 million on his head.
This has been followed by The Daily Mail stating it would take closer to £80 million to convince his current employers to do business, with Wharton under contract until 2029. Despite that, both Manchester United and Liverpool remain undeterred and are set to launch an approach at the end of the campaign.
I don’t think I’ve ever watched a Palace player and been as sure that they’ll go to the very top of the game as I am with Adam Wharton.
His reading of the game, movement, passing range and general comfort on the ball at 21 is genuinely phenomenal. A truly elite talent. pic.twitter.com/5aeFzKzeGL
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) February 26, 2025
English Giants Hoping To Steal A March
It’s no secret that the Red Devils are in serious need of an overhaul in the centre of the park. Arguably, the last great midfielder they possessed was Michael Carrick, who retired in 2018 and is ironically now managing the team on an interim basis.
It was announced yesterday that Casemiro will depart Old Trafford following the end of this current deal at the end of the season, leaving even further holes. The 20-time English champions have been linked with Wharton for some time, whilst they are also said to be keen on Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.
Meanwhile, Liverpool look to be surrendering their Premier League crown with a whimper. Although they spent £500 million last summer, it seems that they are ready to splash the cash once again in order to retake their spot at the top of the English game.
Meanwhile, Blackburn are set to be major winners of the saga. They inserted a 15% sell-on clause on any profit in the deal that took him to the capital two years ago. As such, they could be set to land up to an additional £9.3 million if Wharton’s current valuation is met.