Manchester United are one of the clubs considering a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton in the January transfer window, with Liverpool and Chelsea also interested in the England international.
After failing to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton at the end of the summer, United appear to have made bringing in a new midfielder a priority. Sources within the club have confirmed that Wharton is one of their top targets, with manager Ruben Amorim highly regarded for the 21-year-old.
A source has said that United see Wharton as the ideal replacement for Casemiro, who is set to leave at the end of the season. His ability to dictate play from deep would fit perfectly with Amorim's tactical setup. They had a summer bid for him, but Crystal Palace rejected it.
Interest in Wharton grew at the end of the summer transfer window, but his price tag was around £100m at the time. Now, in January, he is expected to cost around £60m, as he could be motivated to move to a club playing in Europe to boost his World Cup hopes with England.
Wharton has the qualities to reach the highest levels and it would be interesting to see him in a United shirt. Although United are not where they want to be, a signing like Wharton could be transformative and provide Amorim with a much-needed midfield player. His playing style is similar to United legend Michael Carrick, and he could be just as important in helping the club return to success.
