£70m Man Utd signing boosted as agent confirms ‘plan’ already in motion | OneFootball

The agent of Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has spoken openly about a future transfer as Manchester United look to make him their successor for Casemiro.

Wharton has made a name for himself as one of the most composed and reliable players in the Premier League since joining Palace from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024. The midfielder’s rapid rise has seen him win three caps for England too, and he will be aiming to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

Wharton has emerged as a prime target for Man Utd as they try to move on from Casemiro and breathe new life into their lacklustre midfield.

Sources state that United will find it difficult to sign Wharton or Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in January, forcing them to postpone talks until the summer.

In an interview with talkSPORT, Wharton’s agent James Featherstone gave Ruben Amorim encouragement that the 21-year-old will soon push to leave Palace and take the next step in his career.

“When he was at Blackburn we sat down and spoke about shooting for the stars and playing for England,” Featherstone said.

“So how do you get there? Personally I think to play for England you have to play Champions League, to play in the Champions League you have got to play for one of the top teams in one of the top leagues.

“That jump to a Champions League team, I think you can get lost. The plan below that was to play for a Premier League team.

‘We have got a plan’ – Adam Wharton agent

“We have got a plan. He is 21. I have to check myself to remember that every now and then. It doesn’t have to be achieved yesterday, today or this moment.

“He has got his in-game, in-season targets and goals. He has got to do his bit and the rest will look after itself in a very structured, calm way to ultimately add value and maximise his ability.”

United will likely have to pay £70-80million to prise Wharton away from Selhurst Park. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in landing him.

With regards to Anderson, United are at risk of missing out on him to rivals Manchester City. Forest want £100m before selling their prized asset.

To improve Amorim’s midfield options immediately, United are weighing up moves for cheaper options such as Joao Gomes, Conor Gallagher and Tyler Adams in January.

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Meanwhile, Barcelona still have not decided whether to sign Marcus Rashford permanently from United, despite his great form.