Arsenal are reportedly battling with several Premier League clubs to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, as per Caught Offside.
The Gunners are planning to reinforce several areas of the squad this summer to finally win the Premier League title next season.
Signing a new striker is reportedly Mikel Arteta’s top priority, with the addition of a wide forward also on his agenda. Furthermore, they are considering the acquisition of a new centre-back.
With Jorginho set to leave for free this summer, Arsenal want a new midfielder to replace him and are reportedly close to signing Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi.
Thomas Partey has also entered the final few weeks of his current contract, and Arsenal are seeking to keep him at the club by tying him down to a fresh term.
Still, Caught Offside state that Arsenal are willing to sign another midfielder and have identified Wharton as a serious option. They could even make a concrete approach to secure his service.
Wharton to Arsenal
However, Arteta’s side will have to overcome stiff competition to seal the deal as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur are also in this race. The Red Devils are even showing the strongest interest in signing Wharton, with Ruben Amorim a big fan of the 21-year-old.
Despite the growing interest in him, the Eagles don’t want to part ways with the midfielder and are willing to hand him a fresh contract following his recent eye-catching displays in the Premier League.
The Englishman is valued at around £29m by Transfermarkt and still has four years left in his current contract. Therefore, Arsenal will have to make a lucrative proposal to secure his service.
Wharton is a technically gifted player and possesses the necessary attributes to flourish in Arteta’s system. Therefore, he would be a great coup for Arsenal should they eventually manage to secure his service in the upcoming transfer window.
However, if the Emirates club opt to sign Zubimendi and keep hold of Partey, they don’t need to go for yet another midfielder. Instead, they would be better off saving the money to invest in the attacking department.