Adam Wharton agreement reached as Man United set out January transfer plan

Adam Wharton has been nothing short of a midfield revelation for Crystal Palace and he's seen his name linked with a move to Manchester United

Manchester United are set to bide their time come January in their pursuit of Crystal Palace starlet Adam Wharton. A pair of United legends agree that the 21-year-old is full of quality going forward.

Ruben Amorim was given some new attacking tools to work with over the summer as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko arrived at Old Trafford. According to new reports it is his midfield that will be bolstered next.

United supposedly have a long shortlist of midfield talent they will look to recruit and Palace ace Wharton is high in the club's estimations. Despite both Roy Keane and Rio Ferdinand agreeing that one aspect of his game is game-changing, it is thought that any approach will have to wait until next summer.

Since Wharton arrived at Selhurst Park in January 2024 for £18.5million from Blackburn Rovers, he has quickly and seamlessly transitioned into one of the Premier League's finest young midfield stars.

He is usually employed as a deep-lying playmaker, with a defensive engine, high IQ and a wide range of passing, which has been praised by United icons Keane and Ferdinand.

Wharton is already in contention for England caps and he was in from the start in their latest 2-0 win against Albania. It was in this tie that Keane picked out what he thinks is the youngster's greatest quality.

"I do like Adam Wharton," said Keane after the win. "A lot of the modern midfielders, their first option seems to be, 'Can I go sideways or backwards?'

"What I like about him, the first option he seems to look at it is, 'Can I pass it forward?' and that's a big strength to have. This is where he can mature over the next year or two if he's playing at the top level.

"Put demands onto people. Shout at players, go, 'Give me the ball!' That's what I used to do, I used to fall out with people a lot. 'Give me the ball!' Put demands on your team-mates.

"He's still new to it, so I'm not going to be too harsh on him. But as he matures and starts playing more games, put demands on your team-mates."

Ferdinand agrees and is equally as impressed with Wharton's attacking transitions. He said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel: "I would sign another central midfielder this summer to play alongside Manuel Ugarte. That player needs to be able to take the ball and transfer it up the pitch. You know who I would go for? Adam Wharton.

"I would go get him. The reason I would take him is that he can get on the ball and transfer it up the pitch. Wharton has got a great range of passing. I think he would be a great addition to the United squad. He reminds me of Michael Carrick a bit."

However, though it may be tempting to approach Wharton in January, ESPN report that United have a detailed plan regarding recruiting a midfielder. They suggest that Wharton is on the club's radar, but any move will be put off until next summer.

United will reportedly shave off up to £1m per week in wages after players such as Casemiro, Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho depart with their contracts set to expire in 2026. Marcus Rashford is also a high earner that the club are hoping can be offloaded after his loan move to Barcelona.

The club are set to bide their time during the January window and then allow these stars to depart come the summer, which should free up some funds to pursue their top targets. These reportedly include Wharton, as well as Brighton's Carlos Baleba and Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller.