Arsenal rivals ‘resigned to losing’ England star as Gunners ‘hold talks’ over £46m transfer
Crystal Palace are reportedly preparing to lose Adam Wharton with several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, interested in signing the midfielder.
The Eagles signed Wharton for around £18million from Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers in January.
He has been fantastic for Palace and earned himself a spot in England’s Euro 2024 score, though he did not play despite the clamour.
The 20-year-old was linked with lots of clubs in the summer transfer window but a transfer away from Selhurst Park did not materialise.
Wharton clearly has many admirers and is destined to join a bigger club – with all due respect to Crystal Palace.
Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been linked but Palace have not received any official bids for their young midfielder.
European giants Bayern Munich were also reportedly keen on signing Wharton in the summer, with Oliver Glasner’s side seeking £60m for him.
Despite Wharton’s subpar form in a poor Palace team this season, interest remains.
Crystal Palace ‘resigned to losing’ Arsenal target Wharton
According to CaughtOffside, Crystal Palace ‘are resigned to losing’ Wharton, who is a ‘transfer target’ for Arsenal.
Indeed, the Eagles have a ‘realisation inside that they are likely to lose’ the England midfielder.
Arsenal ‘have already held some talks over potentially signing Wharton’ and ‘hoping to sign Wharton for a fee in the region of €55m’ (£45.7m). Euros for a transfer between two Premier League clubs, by the way? Not having it.
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Man City are also interested with star midfielder Rodri out until the end of the season.
Arsenal could make the signing of a new defensive midfielder a priority at the end of 2024/25 due to Thomas Partey and Jorginho being out of contract.
It is unclear if the Gunners are hoping to negotiate a contract extension with Partey, while Jorginho has a one-year option to extend.
Wharton could be a perfect addition but Mikel Arteta is also reportedly an admirer of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.
Liverpool tried to sign the Sociedad playmaker in the summer but he did not want to leave his boyhood club.
Convincing Zubimendi to move to England should be very difficult and Man City are also said to be eyeing the Spanish international to replace Rodri.
Speaking in September, Zubimendi opened up on rejecting Liverpool.
“This project that has been going on for years,” he said. “We have been in Europe for five years and the demands are high – not only in the club, but also from the people. We hope to meet those expectations.
“We have decided to invest in the future…if we had looked to the present we would have made transfers of a different profile.
“There are many clubs that when you invest in the short term your next step if it doesn’t work out is difficult. Talent, training, believing, growing and progressing. These last two are not the same. I hope they make us progress. I want to win everything, La Liga too.”
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