Manchester United transfer target Adam Wharton has revealed the truth behind the rumours linking him to the club.
Manchester United’s midfield situation has been a hot topic for years now. Since Nemanja Matic left the club, United have lacked a long-term defensive midfielder who could hold down the engine room on his own.
Casemiro is United’s current holding midfielder, but it is generally considered that he will leave the club at the end of the season. Many fans wanted a new signing ahead of the Brazilian last summer, but Casemiro has been brilliant since the start of the season due to Rúben Amorim’s tactical tweak.
One of the potential replacements in the summer was Carlos Baleba, but United steered clear of the Brighton midfielder due to the exceptionally high price tag. Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton have been named as alternatives in recent weeks.
While both have a different skillset from the Cameroon international, they could have a larger impact on the United side, due to Baleba’s poor start to the season. While Anderson has yet to speak on the links to Old Trafford, Wharton has now had his say on the United links after his good start to the campaign.
Wharton reveals truth behind future speculation
Unlike Anderson and Baleba, Wharton has experience playing in a 3-4-2-1 formation, as he often starts in the double pivot for Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace side. While the system is very different, his experience in the formation could make the transition somewhat smoother.
When asked about his links away from Palace, Wharton said: “I don’t really look into it or think too much about it. There are always rumours floating about on social media. Is it true? Is it not? You tell me.
“My friends, my family, my brothers, everyone will message me and be like, ‘Is it true this club’s interested?’. I’m like, ‘Thanks for telling me because I didn’t know,” he told David Ornstein of The Athletic.
“If something’s going to be serious, I can think about it, but if not… if there’s interest, I’m not interested in knowing. You can be interested in anything and nothing could come of it.
“You must be doing something right for those sorts of clubs to be interested or wanting you, but until there’s something concrete and direct communication, I wouldn’t stress about it.”
Wharton speaks on United links
In the same interview, Wharton was asked about his links to United, specifically. He said: “I don’t know who’s spreading it or who at United is looking at it. I see it and I’m like, ‘OK’, and then I carry on with my day.
“United, the big teams, they’re all linked to 10, 20 different players. If I’m one of 20, then it’s nothing special, so it doesn’t really mean too much. I speak with my agent about planning ahead and possibilities.
“But at the end of the day, it is who’s interested and who’s willing to try and get you if that becomes the case? You can speak about it, but you’ve got to represent that on the pitch and prove that you deserve it.”
While Wharton may not be the perfect long-term partner for Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo, he could be a real option for United if he expresses a desire to leave Crystal Palace. United would be foolish not to monitor the situation.
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