Oliver Glasner and Enzo Marescaplaceholder image
Oliver Glasner and Enzo Maresca | Getty Images
Chelsea and Crystal Palace are both flying high at the top end of the Premier League season as they weigh up January transfer targets
Chelsea find themselves fourth in the Premier League table after 16 matches this season. They are inside the top four along with Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa. The London club have also reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup following their 3-1 win at Cardiff City on Tuesday evening.
As for Crystal Palace, they have been juggling their league duties with their Europa Conference League campaign over recent times. The Eagles find themselves in fifth place and are only two points behind Enzo Maresca's side. Oliver Glasner's men were beaten 3-0 at home by City last time out at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea eye Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton
Wharton, 21, has a bright future ahead of him in the game and is under contract with the Eagles until June 2029 - meaning they are under no immediate pressure to sell him any time soon. They snapped him up from Blackburn Rovers back in 2024 and he has since made the step up to the top flight with ease. He has made 66 appearances in all competitions to date, 23 of which have come this season.
The Blackburn-born man graduated through the academy of his local team before breaking into their first-team as a youngster. He played 51 times for the Lancashire club and scored four goals before leaving for a fresh start down in London. The prospect hasn't looked back since and now looks destined for bigger and better things as Chelsea weigh up a potential swoop.
Chelsea should propose swap deal to Crystal Palace
Palace won't want to lose Wharton but if they are to eventually sell him, they will want big money for him. Football Insider have claimed that they could demand up to £100 million for his services. Therefore, Chelsea may need to include a couple of players as part of a swap deal plus cash for the player.
In an attempt to lure the Eagles into selling, the Blues should offer them Tyrique George and Trevoh Chalobah in return. George, 19, would benefit from getting some regular football somewhere else. He faces strong competition for game time at Stamford Bridge from the likes of Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho.
The teenager would be a shrewd addition Crystal Palace if he arrived through the entrance door this winter. He is a promising talent who would inject pace and flair into Glasner's starting XI. In addition, he would give the south London side some much needed competition and depth on the flanks, which would come in handy as the deal with their increased workload.
Chalobah is a player who the Eagles know well already and he could be an ideal replacement for Marc Guehi, who looks set to leave when his deal expires at the end of his term. Guehi was heavily linked with Liverpool in the summer but ended up staying put beyond the deadline. He is due to become a free agent in June 2026.
Glasner needs to start thinking about life without the England star and Chalobah would be a solid alternative. The 26-year-old knows the club already, understands how they operate and is a proven performer at the top level. He has played 126 games for Chelsea so far and has also been loaned out in the past to Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town and FC Lorient to get some experience.
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