Man Utd target England wonderkid Wharton as Neves and Ugarte alternative

Tom Weber

Updated: 15 Jul 2024 10:24 BST
3 min read

Manchester United are interested in Adam Wharton, according to a report.

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The Red Devils are in the market for a new midfielder. After sealing the signing of striker Joshua Zirkzee and with the arrival of Matthijs de Ligt seemingly only a matter of time, Man Utd are beginning to shift their focus to the middle of the park.

Casemiro could yet depart Old Trafford, while Sofyan Amrabat will, as things stand, return to Fiorentina following his largely unsuccessful loan. With Christian Eriksen also expected to move on this summer, Man Utd will need to beef up their engine room in this transfer window.

The dream target of Man Utd - and indeed of many a club - is Benfica wonderkid Joao Neves. However, the 19-year-old has a €120 million release clause and the Portuguese giants insist on this figure being paid. Additionally, PSG are 'serious' about their interest in Neves.

The French champions' attraction has given Man Utd hope of potentially being able to poach Manuel Ugarte from them, but PSG are keen to recoup their original €60m outlay, which is a potential problem for a Man Utd side operating on a restricted budget.

Man Utd target Wharton

As a result, the Manchester outfit have begun looking at other options. According to CaughtOffside, Crystal Palace youngster Adam Wharton features prominently on Erik ten Hag's shortlist.

Since arriving from Blackburn in January, the 20-year-old has enjoyed a steep rise to prominence, even making England's squad for Euro 2024, though he ultimately didn't feature.

Wharton thrived under new coach Oliver Glasner towards the end of the previous campaign and performed well beyond his years at the heart of Crystal Palace's midfield. When the Eagles demolished Man Utd 4-0 in May, Wharton was one of the standout performers on the day.

Palace naturally don't want to sell the midfielder just six months after signing him, so they will surely demand a pretty penny should Man Utd indeed decide to come calling. Nevertheless, it is asserted that the Red Devils view him as an affordable alternative, at least when compared to Neves' price tag.