Crystal Palace are desperate to keep Adam Wharton at Selhurst Park and are insistent that it could take a nine-figure sum to convince them to sanction a move after Tottenham Hotspur have been among the sides showing a desire to strike a deal ahead of the upcoming season, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although the Eagles completed the £2million acquisition of Borna Sosa last week, with the left-back joining from Eredivisie heavyweights Ajax, head coach Oliver Glasner has remained determined to retain key members of his squad at the same time as securing summer reinforcements.
The 2025/26 campaign is on course to include UEFA Conference League action, having been demoted to Europe's third-tier competition due to multi-club ownership rules, and Crystal Palace are adamant that they want to improve their options instead of leaving themselves open to big-name departures.
Eagles Will Not Sell Wharton for Cut-Price Fee
South Londoners consider midfielder to be in same bracket as Rice
Adam Wharton in action for Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace value Wharton towards the £100million mark after he has been attracting interest from Premier League rivals Tottenham, according to GMS sources, and they will do all they can to ensure he is still in his current surroundings by the time the summer transfer window slams shut on September 1.
The central midfielder has been described as 'phenomenal' and, having been among the first names on the team sheet when fully fit, Glasner and influential figures behind the scenes are seeking to keep him on board instead of showing a desire to do business with one of their domestic counterparts in the coming weeks.
GMS sources have been informed that Crystal Palace consider Wharton, who enjoyed FA Cup glory during a 2024/25 campaign impacted by injury, to be in the same bracket as Arsenal talisman Declan Rice in terms of his potential and that has resulted in them increasing their demands.
Adam Wharton's statistics for Crystal Palace this season
The Eagles are in a strong negotiating position as the one-cap England international still has four years remaining on his £35,000-per-week contract, which will complicate matters for Tottenham and other suitors contemplating whether to test the south Londoners' resolve with a formal proposal.
Crystal Palace have decided they will continue to use Rice's £105million move from West Ham United to Arsenal as a marker of how valuable Wharton could be in the transfer market, GMS sources have learned, meaning they will not entertain sanctioning his departure for a cut-price fee.
Glasner Determined to Keep Hold of Wharton
Tactician fearful of big-name departures from Selhurst Park
Adam Wharton
GMS sources have been told that Crystal Palace chief Glasner is particularly eager to hold onto Wharton as there are ongoing concerns that the likes of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze will be the subject of big-money bids in the remainder of the summer window, leading to there being determination to avoid a situation where his squad is decimated.
The 21-year-old has been on the Eagles' books since sealing a switch worth up to £22million from Championship side Blackburn Rovers in February 2024 and, having made an instant impact in the top flight, there is an awareness that he will be difficult to replace in the coming weeks.
Tottenham's ambition means they may not be deterred by Crystal Palace's lofty demands for long, with GMS sources understanding that Wharton is remaining on their radar as a possible acquisition as boss Thomas Frank continues making his mark, but he could prove to be out of their reach for now.
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GMS sources recently revealed that the Selhurst Park fan favourite has been identified as Spurs' dream signing even though it has been acknowledged that they will find it difficult to convince his current employers to give him the go-ahead to move across the capital for a fresh challenge.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 14/07/2025
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