Crystal Palace have been riding the crest of a wave under Oliver Glasner's stewardship, but now, after an 11-match winless run, it's time to put things to rights.
The January transfer window was a turbulent one for the Eagles, with Glasner announcing he will leave his managerial role at the end of the season and captain and star defender Marc Guehi being sold to Manchester City.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner looks dejected after the match
Brennan Johnson, Evann Guessand and Jorgen Strand Larsen were welcomed to strengthen the attack, but the Jean-Philippe Mateta saga ended in a way which
The latest on Mateta's Crystal Palace future
Glasner has revealed that Mateta failed his AC Milan medical due to an ongoing knee problem. A £30m deal had been agreed. Surgery is required, but the Les Bleus star wants to hold off until after the World Cup.
In this, the 28-year-old is unlikely to be too surprised that his late-window move didn't come to fruition, though it's frustrating for Palace given they have added Strand Larsen to the ranks for a club-record fee.
Palace are not strapped for attacking options, for sure, but whether the manager can keep his overload of forwards happy as he portions out the playing time remains to be seen.
However, for the Selhurst Park side to have such players at their disposal is an illustration of how far they have come over the past few years, with Mateta and now Strand Larsen among the most talented footballers in south London.
Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace-1
But even with Guehi having gone, there's another man who might just be Glasner's best and most valuable talent, and he's certainly not going to be scrambling for a starting berth over the next few months.
The Palace star worth more than Mateta & Strand Larsen
While the forwards are the major talking points for Crystal Palace right now, it's Adam Wharton in the centre of the park who still takes the cake as Glasner's star man.
He's not the finished product, but the England international, 21, is unquestionably Palace's most exciting star, with an astounding technical ability and a penchant for influencing on the biggest stages.
Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton reacts after the match
Wharton was recognised as a top talent right from the get-go, billed for big things after arriving at Selhurst Park in an £18m deal midway through the 2023/24 campaign, parting with Blackburn Rovers.
Now, the 21-year-old is one of the Premier League's most sought-after stars, hailed as a "cheat code" by analyst Ben Mattinson for his expansive passing range.
Indeed, he's been crucial in the upkeep of Glasner's system in the Premier League, a system that has flourished and developed into one of the country's sharpest.
Wharton's Premier League Form under Glasner
Stats (* per 90)
Matches (starts)
Goals + Assists
Touches*
Accurate passes*
Big chances created
Key passes*
Dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels (won)*
Data via Sofascore
This season, Wharton has become fitter and more reliable, more accurate in completing his defensive duties. Moreover, his athleticism has been accentuated, and he is becoming a willing carrier into more dangerous attacking positions.
Palace don't want to develop a reputation as a selling club after title-winning success, but Steve Parish is approaching player sagas with pragmatism. Wharton is bound to be enticed by rumoured suitors like Liverpool and Manchester United, but Parish will want bang for his buck, and has placed a price tag worth around £85m on the Three Lions star.
England's Adam Wharton reacts
At £85m, he would become Palace's club-record sale, more valuable, even than Guehi, probably the club's greatest centre-back. Guehi only left for £20m, but he had months left on his deal. In 2024, when Newcastle pushed for his signature, they were met with Parish's £70m valuation.
Make no mistake, Wharton is one of the most talented midfielders in the country, and if he does leave Palace in 2026 - or later - it will be for a record price, well eclipsing the value of new talisman Strand Larsen and Glasner's trusted frontman Mateta.
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