Manchester City’s midfield will see a bit of a shakeup in the summer, and a certain England international could be brought in as part of the new-look department.
Pep Guardiola and incoming director of football Hugo Viana have plenty of work to do to this Manchester City side in the summer.
Age seems to have caught up with a lot of the players and particularly in midfield, we could see a huge turnover in personnel with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan out of contract.
Then there’s Kevin De Bruyne who faces an uncertain future at the Etihad, along with Jack Grealish too, following his omission from the England squad for this month’s international break.
There’s a number of midfield players being linked with city right now. It’s reported that Man City like Eduardo Camavinga at Real Madrid whilst Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes remains a key target for Pep.
But it’s Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton who might be the man to help rebuild Guardiola’s ailing Man City midfield.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
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Manchester City ‘in the mix’ to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton
Wharton, 21, has enjoyed a rise to footballing fame in the last few years, going from Blackburn Rovers prospect to England midfielder with Crystal Palace. Indeed, Manchester City have been linked with Wharton who also has admirers at Manchester United. And transfer expert Graeme Bailey has backed Pep to make a move for the youngster, who’s currently on international duty with England U21s.
Bailey has told Manchester City News: “Manchester City as a whole are not adverse to doing transfer business in England as we have seen. On Wharton, they were one of the club’s who were more attentive to his situation whilst he was at Blackburn and they have continued to watch him, but obviously there are a host of clubs fully versed on his ability.
“City have just brought in Nico Gonzalez and with Rodri back this summer the glaring need for another defensive midfielder has dissipated some what, but there are exceptions to that and if Wharton is available then he is one of those, City will be in the mix for him – I would also suggest the same is true of Bruno Guimaraes, a player who Pep Guardiola personally appreciates.”
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
The Manchester City player who Adam Wharton admires
Speaking earlier in the season, Wharton shared his admiration for Rodri at Manchester City. The Spaniard won the Ballon d’Or last year but a serious knee injury has meant he’s featured just twice in the Premier League all season.
Wharton said of the City midfielder: “You see how consistent he’s been in the last few seasons and the way he plays. He rarely has a bad game.
“He’s got a bit of everything. He’s good on the ball, stops attacks, keeps teams penned in. When they clear it, he’s always there to clean it up. He isn’t dribbling past five players. You don’t need to do that in that position.
“He just keeps it, gives it and keeps the ball moving to move the opposition. That’s when the gaps come and you can give it to the great players at the top of the pitch.”
There is certainly airs of Rodri in Wharton’s game. The Palace man has shown he’s a very combative yet technically-gifted midfielder and given a few years at a team with City’s quality, under Pep, Wharton could become a Rodri 2.0.