Crystal Palace star wanted by Real Madrid - but Liverpool and Manchester United are also keen on him
A Crystal Palace midfielder could get a shock move to Real Madrid this summer - with scouts even travelling to England to watch him play.
After recovering from hernia surgery, English midfielder Adam Wharton has slotted straight back into Crystal Palace’s starting XI, helping his club overcome Millwall in the FA Cup last weekend.
Such has been his form that, seemingly out of nowhere, LaLiga giants Real Madrid have started showing interest in him. Real’s chief scout, Juni Calafat, is reportedly a big fan of the 21-year-old, who also may be on the cusp of an England call-up from new manager Thomas Tuchel.
According to TalkSport, scouts from the Spanish club have been watching his last few matches as they weigh up a potential bid this summer. Palace signed Wharton from Blackburn Rovers for £22m in 2023, and look set to not only recuperate that but make a tidy profit on the Englishman too.
It comes amid interest from a plethora of Premier League clubs; Manchester City were looking at Wharton during the January transfer window, but ended up signing midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Porto instead.
However, Liverpool and Manchester United have maintained their interest throughout - although no official bids have been submitted. It’s believed Liverpool would prefer to sign Martin Zubimendi, having missed out on the Spaniard last summer, but with the likes of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen expected to leave Old Trafford, and summer signing Manuel Ugarte failing to meet expectations, Manchester United could become a serious option.
Wharton won’t come cheap though, with his market value estimated to be in the region of £70m.