Manchester City may not face a challenge from Arsenal for the signature of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, according to journalist Charles Watts.
There have been reports suggesting that the Gunners have held initial talks about signing the England international but Watts told Caught Offside that City hold the strongest interest at the moment:
“There are going to be plenty of players linked with Arsenal as January edges ever closer. We’ve seen that in recent weeks, with Adam Wharton mentioned as a target.”
Most Read on Man City News
“Wharton is a fine player and you could see the immediate impact he had on Crystal Palace when he first arrived from Blackburn last season.”
“We know that Manchester City are keeping tabs on him and I’m sure there will be plenty of other top clubs monitoring his progress at Selhurst Park.”
How much would Wharton cost?
It is believed that Palace may hold out for a fee in the region of €65m (£54m) for the 20-year-old. He was only signed by the Eagles for £18m from Blackburn Rovers at the end of the 2024 January transfer window.
Since then, Wharton has impressed for both club and country, having been called up by England for Euro 2024 last summer.
City need to revamp their midfield
Manager Pep Guardiola highlighted his team’s problems in the middle of the park after their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at the weekend. He mentioned that he has been forced to play the likes of Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Manuel Akanji out of position due to a lack of other options.
With so many players over the age of 30 (including the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mateo Kovacic), bringing in some younger faces could be key to the club improving their fortunes. For that reason, a move for someone like Wharton would make a lot of sense.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here