Manchester United are set to go all-in for a midfielder next summer, and they have learned the true cost of one of their main targets, Adam Wharton.
Manchester United entered the summer transfer window with a clear goal: to fix the goalscoring issues that plagued them last season. After finding the net only 44 times in the previous Premier League campaign, United spent £214 million to completely rebuild their attack.
Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha were brought in to lead the new front line, while Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund, Antony, and Jadon Sancho all left Old Trafford.
The new forwards have experienced mixed fortunes so far. Šeško and Mbeumo have each scored twice, but Cunha’s early-season injury has prevented him from making a real impact for his new team.
United are now set to go all-out for midfield reinforcements both in January and the 2026 summer window, with the club now learning the true cost of one of their main targets, Adam Wharton.
£60 million gentleman’s agreement laughed off
United’s main midfield targets have been made clear. After failing to sign him in the summer, the club are still set to go back in for Carlos Baleba, with Adam Wharton an additional target.
Despite rumours of a gentleman’s agreement of £60 million being reported, TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, has learnt that that fee will not get the deal done, and has learnt the real fee.
“I don’t see why they would sell him for £60m to Man United,” said Jones. “They are in a position where they could get more and they know that.
“United are getting to a stage where they need to replace players in that area of the field and we have been seeing Casemiro get a lot of starts, which was not really expected to be the plan.
“The thing is, Casemiro actually fits the role Amorim is looking for quite well, so maybe he looks for a new version of that.
“That’s where Wharton fits. He can do more than just play how Casemiro does right now, but equally United like that he could slot in.
Wharton’s likely fee revealed
It is well known that Rúben Amorim is in the market for a midfielder, and with the club having to battle other clubs to secure the 21-year-old’s signature, the outlet revealed the potential price that United will have to pay.
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United are not the only team interested in Wharton. If he leaves in the summer it’ll most likely be a record departure fee – topping what they sold Eze for.
“He is 21 and has a long contract and often when I have made checks on this situation, my contacts mention Declan Rice’s fee from when he joined Arsenal.
“I’m not saying he will reach £100million but they have every reason to believe they can push upwards of the £67.5m they got for Eze.”
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