Last year was Wharton's first full campaign as a top-flight footballer, following his move from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024.
And whilst the England midfielder was satisfied with his efforts, he is looking to kick on again over the next nine months, with a first taste of European football also on the horizon.
"It was okay," Wharton reflected on last season. "I think at the start of the season, I was playing with an injury and then I had the surgery, so I missed three months.
"It wasn't ideal for me to start, but then when I was getting back to fitness in the second half of the season, from February onwards, I was starting to feel myself again and could feel I was playing better.
"It was an okay season for me personally. Obviously, winning the FA Cup helped it massively! This season, I just want to focus on staying as fit as I can and playing as many games as possible. Hopefully, I have a strong season and help the team be successful again.
"I'm not a massive goal-setter, personally. Sometimes with coaches, you might set them, but I just want to play as many games as I can.
"To be honest, I'm never really happy with how I play because it's never perfect. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I'm always striving to play better than I did the last game. That's my motivation."