Manchester United have had a long-term interest in Crystal Palace central midfielder Adam Wharton, stretching back to the middle of last year.
The Red Devils were reportedly keen on a deal for him in the summer of 2024, when Erik Ten Hag was in charge. It was then reported this summer that Ruben Amorim wanted to bring the England international to Old Trafford.
England's Adam Wharton reacts
With the January transfer window on the horizon, it has recently been reported that the club are planning to make a move for Wharton next month to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
What Adam Wharton can bring to Man Utd
Man United have been interested in the central midfielder for such a long time because he has been an incredibly impressive performer in the middle of the park for Palace.
The left-footed star has the technical ability and passing range that you would associate with a Spanish player, as shown in the clips below, whilst possessing the tigerish defensive qualities that you would associate with an English midfielder.
Wharton has averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 56% of his ground duels in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, whilst Casemiro has made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game and won 55% of his ground duels for United.
Casemiro-Ugarte-Man-Utd
The Brazilian, though, has only made 0.6 key passes per game and is yet to create a 'big chance' in the top-flight, per Sofascore, whilst Wharton has made 1.6 key passes per game and created six 'big chances' for Palace.
These statistics suggest that the Eagles star can replace Casemiro's defensive contributions in midfield, and offer far more to the team in possession as a passer and as a creator.
Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton during training
In order for INEOS to fund a move to finally sign the English maestro, the Manchester United owners should ruthlessly cash in on Kobbie Mainoo.
How Man Utd can fund Wharton move
It has been reported that it will take more than the £67.5m that Palace raked in for Eberechi Eze to prise Wharton away from Selhurst Park, which could mean that INEOS need to raise funds to bring him in by selling one of their current players.
Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo
Reports suggest that Chelsea are leading a 12-team chase to sign Mainoo in the January transfer window, though it does not reveal whether they are looking at loan or permanent moves.
The England international was once described as "generational" by teammate Rasmus Hojlund, which seems to be a fair comment for a 20-year-old star who has racked up seven goals in 83 appearances for United, and ten caps for England, after coming through the academy.
Mainoo Amorim quotes
However, as Amorim explained in the quote above, Mainoo has found himself in a position where he is competing with the captain, Bruno Fernandes, for a spot in the middle of the park.
The England international's lack of minutes on the pitch in the Premier League is a cause for concern, hence why there are 12 clubs lining up moves for him in January, and this is why INEOS should ruthlessly cash in on him.
|Last 10 Premier League games|
|Opposition|Mainoo|
|---|
|Wolves|12 minutes|
|West Ham|Unused sub|
|Crystal Palace|1 minute|
|Everton|32 minutes|
|Tottenham Hotspur|Injured|
|Nottingham Forest|Unused sub|
|Brighton|20 minutes|
|Liverpool|5 minutes|
|Sunderland|13 minutes|
|Brentford|24 minutes|
|Stats via Transfermarkt|
As you can see in the table above, Mainoo has rarely been used by Amorim in the Premier League, getting cameo minutes here and there, sometimes not even coming off the bench.
Having a 'generational' talent like the 20-year-old and not giving him regular minutes is a waste of resource, particularly given that TEAMtalk recently claimed that he is valued at £80m by United. Some, like United writer Alex Turk have even suggested this is a "£100m-plus footballer" in the making.
Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo
If INEOS are unwilling to sack Amorim and if the manager is unwilling to change his system to accommodate Mainoo, selling the midfielder for £80m could be the best option for all parties involved.
As sad as it would be for United to cash in on such a talented academy graduate, having an £80m-rated player who is rarely getting minutes on the pitch is not helpful to anyone, and that is the situation that United have found themselves in.
Adam Wharton
Given that Wharton, who we have explained could be a dream upgrade on Casemiro, could cost upwards of £67.5m, selling Mainoo for £80m could provide INEOS with the funds needed to finally bring the left-footed star to Old Trafford to bolster the squad in January.
It is a huge call for the owners to make, one that may not be popular with supporters, but it could be the right decision if it allows them to sign Wharton, who would arrive as a brilliant deep-lying midfielder to play alongside Bruno Fernandes.
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