Manchester United have expressed an interest in Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. Following reports that Brighton's Carlos Baleba is not for sale, United are considering the possibility of trying to secure Wharton.
Brighton owner Tony Bloom wants to keep Wharton for at least another season, seeing the 21-year-old as a potential player who could fetch a world record £115m, similar to Moises Caicedo. That would mean Manchester United would have to pay a fee that would set a new record for the most expensive Premier League transfer, currently £116m, which Liverpool paid for Florian Wirtz.
If United fail to land Baleba, they could turn to alternatives such as Wharton, who has become one of the Premier League's brightest stars since joining Crystal Palace from Blackburn for a fee of up to £22m. He has helped his team win the FA Cup and Community Shield in the last 18 months.
Adam Wharton is not only being linked with Manchester United, but also Liverpool and Real Madrid. However, for him, this season is an opportunity to re-establish himself in the England national team, as he has only one match as a starter for the Three Lions.
As Crystal Palace face the prospect of losing Adam Wharton, manager Oliver Glasner must be careful as his side could face a number of departures from Selhurst Park before the transfer window closes. Tottenham are in talks to sign Eberechi Eze, while Marc Guehi is wanted by Liverpool, but the latter are unwilling to meet their £40m asking price.
