Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has issued a stern warning that there is no rush to entertain bids for midfield maestro Adam Wharton. Manchester United, already in the market for a new midfielder, are set to lose Casemiro on a free transfer when his contract expires in June. Wharton, a rising star in European football, has been turning heads with his stellar performances over the past two seasons.
The 21-year-old was instrumental in his side’s FA Cup triumph against Manchester City at Wembley last season. Having made his England debut last year, whispers of a move to United have grown louder, but Palace chairman Parish has reminded all that Wharton still has plenty of time left on his contract.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Parish stated: “I think Adam at some point will want to play either in the Champions League with us, if we can make that happen, or probably with another club.
“He’s an extraordinary talent. I think right now, and I can’t speak for Adam, but I think he’s focused on his time at Crystal Palace. He had a broken season last season with the groin issues that he had that a lot of young players get.
“I think this season he’s completely focused on putting the games in, getting in the England squad, being a regular for us, and making sure that he can show that Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday.
“It’s a difficult programme for us right now. I think he’s very committed to the club. I don’t know where all this stuff comes from.”
Parish was asked about interest from United and said: “If Manchester United want Adam Wharton, there’s nothing surprising really about that.
“The fact of the matter is he’s got a long contract to run. There’s no pressure on us to do it, and I don’t think there’s any real pressure from the player either.”
Wharton’s deal at Selhurst Park runs until the summer of 2029. The midfielder has also been linked with Liverpool and Real Madrid.