Man Utd ‘will come knocking’ for England star who can follow in Declan Rice’s footsteps
Crystal Palace legend Clinton Morrison expects Adam Wharton to leave the club at the end of the season, believing Manchester United could be the ‘right fit’ for the England star.
Last season’s FA Cup winners are reeling after a series of significant setbacks with club captain Marc Guehi completing a move to Manchester City this week.
It came after manager Oliver Glasner launched a scathing attack on the club’s owners, accusing them of ‘abandoning’ the club having also cashed in on Eberechi Eze last summer.
Glasner will leave Selhurst Park when his contract expires at the end of the season with Jean-Philippe Mateta informing the club this week he wants to leave before the January transfer window closes.
Wharton, 21, is Palace’s most valuable asset and is admired by clubs across the Premier League.
United have plans to rebuild their midfield at the end of the season with Wharton, alongside Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, a top target.
Despite the key figures at Palace leaving or plotting their exit this month, Morrison insists the midfielder will not be tempted to consider his options before the January window closes.
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Clinton Morrison: It's bleak for Palace, but we've been here before
During another chaotic week for Palace, Metro spoke to club legend Clinton Morrison to try and make sense of it all.
Mateta's timing 'all wrong'
The timing of Mateta trying to leave is all wrong. It is disappointing, I know JP and he is a good guy who just wants to do well and be successful. But he should have waited until the summer to get his move. I know what the chairman Steve Parish is like, unless it's the right price, he is not letting him go.
Oliver Glasner isn't leaving until the end of the season, we hope. Maybe he [Mateta] has got someone in his ear, maybe his agent, telling him "we need to strike why the iron is hot". But the iron could be even hotter in he summer. He's 29 now, he's hitting his peak years and he is thinking he can get the big move that he has wanted. He has his agent speaking to clubs I'm sure. But I've seen this play out a million times and the chairman is a clever businessman and he's not going to let a player go for less than the money he's worth.
'This is the way it goes at Palace'
Adam Wharton could be another to leave in the summer, hopefully we can keep him for another year but this has played out many times and Palace have always been alright. We've really missed Ismaila Sarr at AFCON and Daniel Munoz when he's been out injured. Their returns will really help with all the attacks coming down their side on the right. Sarr has been brilliant here, Munoz is the driving force. There will be top clubs looking at him too but he's found a home here.
Unless a billionaire comes into the club this is just the way it goes, it's the same with Glasner's situation. You do well and you move on and unfortunately that's the way it goes.
Palace's next manager?
It's difficult judging who is going to be available. We didn't know much about Oliver Glasner until he came to the club. He had success at Frankfurt but we didn't know Palace would have a chance of getting him and he is probably going to go down as one of Palace's best managers ever.
There's been talk about Gareth Southgate and he did such a good job with England getting them to major finals. But Palace are in a position a lot of clubs are in where they will wait until the summer when there are going to be lots of changes. There are loads of managers who will be on the move then - the chairman will be doing his work right now sounding out possibilities.
Clinton Morrison spoke to Metro via Freebets.com, the home of the best Cheltenham offers.
‘He is the right fit and they will come knocking,’ Morrison said of United’s interest in Warton, speaking to Metro via Free Bets. ‘That’s a club where Wharton could go but even Real Madrid would suit him brilliantly.
‘But I wouldn’t worry too much about him right now, this kid is going to go wherever he wants to go.
‘He still has a lot of learning to do but he is a fantastic, intelligent footballer and he keeps getting better. The chairman knows they will have a few offers in the summer. The club will try negotiate a new contract for him but he is in a great place, playing week in and week out. I know what happens when you lose your best players but for Adam, the move will happen and I think every Palace fan will know that as well, they are realistic.’
United missed out when Arsenal paid £100million to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United in 2023 with the midfielder leading the Hammers to glory in the Europa Conference League in his final act.
Should a summer exit beckon, Wharton could have the same opportunity with Palace still fighting in the same competition.
‘He can definitely do what Declan Rice did,’ Morrison said. ‘He can move in the summer, I personally think he should have another year at Palace so when he does move to the right club, he is ready to start every game.
‘What Declan did with West Ham, winning the Europa Conference before leaving, hopefully Adam Wharton can win that competition too and follow in Dec’s footsteps. If a club offers £70million it will be very hard to refuse so this could be the big finish for him.’
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