Any club wishing to prise Wharton away from South London will need to possess incredibly deep pockets. Crystal Palace, who have a strong track record of developing and protecting the value of their assets, have absolutely no intention of letting their star man leave on the cheap. AS states that the Eagles have slapped a minimum price tag of €70 million (£58m) on the midfielder, a figure that would represent a massive profit on the initial £18m they paid Blackburn just two years ago.
Perhaps more significant than the transfer fee, however, are the reported wage demands. The Spanish publication claims that Wharton is seeking a "Galactico salary" to facilitate a move. This suggests the player is aware of his soaring stock and expects to be remunerated as a top-tier starter immediately, rather than stepping onto a developmental wage structure.
For Real Madrid, who manage their wage bill meticulously to accommodate superstars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, these demands could necessitate a significant departure from their usual policy for signing young players.
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