United failed to sign a midfielder before the transfer window closed yesterday. Now, the club shifts its transfer focus to January, where the Reds will rival Chelsea for an experienced Premier League star.
Amidst the exciting arrivals of four first-team players who joined the club in the summer window, Manchester United failed to secure one of the priority positions the club reportedly sought.
The attack was certainly bolstered, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko joining to boost the team’s goalscoring threat.
And with the recent acquisition of Senne Lammens to help the keeper situation, it leaves Ruben Amorim with one position yet to be filled.
After failing to secure the signing of favoured midfielder Carlos Baleba, the Reds have shifted their interest to January, where reports suggest United will rival Chelsea for ‘dream star’.
Chelsea join race for Palace’s Wharton
One name on the shortlist for Amorim’s desired central midfield signing was Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who has cemented himself as the London side’s star midfielder.
Wharton signed for the Eagles in 2022 from championship side Blackburn Rovers, where he earned a £22 million price tag.
Becoming a mainstay in the Palace squad has seemed a breeze, and now the Englishman has attracted interest from European giants, as Chelsea has joined the race to sign Wharton in January.
According to TeamTalk, Wharton has said he ‘wants a new challenge at an elite-level’, and with Chelsea and United exploring a possible bid in the January window, the 21-year-old would certainly be getting that challenge.
With Alejandro Garnacho signing for Chelsea last window, the Blues are ready to spend even more in January, it seems, and will step up the race for Wharton as he looks for his next destination.
United preparing Wharton offer
With Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte not fitting the bill, the club will look elsewhere for a new central midfielder, with Wharton being a ‘dream’ target.
The midfielder would have been a difficult signing to secure in the summer transfer window, as Oliver Glasner has openly stated the importance Wharton has in the Palace squad. After losing star player Eberechi Eze to Arsenal and almost Marc Guehi, Glasner was reluctant to sell Wharton as well.
The Englishman would have been hard to pry away from the London side last window, but it does leave scope for the Reds to submit a bid in the winter transfer window.
Reports suggest a bid of at least £50 million is needed to secure Wharton’s signature, which should be well within the constraints of United’s budget, due to the sales of Garnacho and Antony.
The club needs a midfielder to spark some life into Amorim’s side’s structure and to shore up the lack of mobility and tenaciousness in the centre of the pitch.
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