There isn’t a team in world football who will go harder after a midfielder in the summer transfer window than Manchester United, and they appear to be zeroing in on Adam Wharton.
The young Crystal Palace star just might be the most coveted up-and-coming No. 6 in the world, and The Sun’s Samuel Luckhurst is reporting that Manchester United are smitten with him.
Man United reportedly view Wharton as a future star at Old Trafford and see him as the “perfect” midfield signing for him, given his quality and roots in the area. They like his personality and character, too, and sources at the club think Man United will be able to beat Liverpool for his signature.
Other top clubs like Real Madrid will go hard after Wharton, and there will be a robust market of second tier options for the Crystal Palace star, namely the desperate Tottenham Hotspur.
But it does feel like Man United have a unique edge for Wharton. They certainly need a deep-lying defensive midfielder with screening and playmaking abilities, and in terms of just overall warm bodies, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte may be leaving Old Trafford this summer window, too.
Wharton is having a standout season for Palace, but what he brings to the table can’t fully be seen at a mid-level club like theirs. Manchester United are building a special attack right now, and Wharton could be the perfect orchestrator at the base of it.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.