Man Utd to sign £70m Adam Wharton on ONE condition as Ruben Amorim audition awaits | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly hugely confident they will win the race to sign Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton ahead of any of their Premier League rivals, as long as they tick off one major condition for a player who will have the chance to impress Ruben Amorim in the flesh on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim is expected to sign a new midfielder either in January or next summer, with TEAMtalk previously identifying United’s top targets – one of which is the impressive Wharton.

The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the best midfield talents in the Premier League since completing a £22million switch from Blackburn Rovers to Selhurst Park in 2024.

Wharton‘s form has also seen him become a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, with a place on the plane for the World Cup in 2026 looking pretty secure. However, whether he is still playing in a Palace shirt by then remains very much up in the air, given their interest in his services.

Man Utd, for one, are right in the mix to sign the £70million-rated midfielder, while Liverpool and Real Madrid also have Wharton on their radar.

And while TEAMtalk has revealed that the likes of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Conor Gallagher are also on United’s radar, the Daily Mirror claims United are ‘confident’ of landing Wharton.

Amorim views Wharton as an ‘ideal fit’ and will sanction a move for the player, although The Mirror adds that it will be dependent on the Red Devils qualifying for Europe. Indeed, the report adds that the midfielder will be ready to snub an Old Trafford switch if that fails to materialise, while TEAMtalk sources have revealed a January switch is almost certainly a non-starter.

United are currently just four points off the Champions League places, despite being in the bottom half of a congested Premier League table. However, their lack of European football this season should give them a better opportunity of finishing in the top six at the very least.

Wharton set for Man Utd, Amorim audition

Wharton will get the chance to show Amorim his qualities at first hand when United head to Selhurst Park for a noon kick-off on Sunday, and of all the midfielders linked with a move to Old Trafford, Red Devils legend Paul Scholes is plumping for the Palace man.

Talking about the trio of Anderson, Baleba and Wharton on Sky Sports recently, Scholes said: “I think all three of them are really good players.

“Baleba is very young, but they’re all quite young, aren’t they? But Baleba is very young. Quality-wise, is he quite there? I think he’s almost in a Caicedo type of way.

“He’s done really well at Chelsea, don’t get me wrong, but is that the type of player Manchester United need? I’m not sure.

“I’d probably say I’d go Wharton. I still don’t think they’re any of the Manchester United style midfield players, they’re more the style of football these days.

“I just think Wharton’s got a little bit more quality. That’s tough saying that. I think he’s got more quality than Baleba.

“Baleba’s got more legs, so that evens itself out a little bit. It’s close between Elliot Anderson and Wharton. I’d just pick Wharton.”

First up, United have made a move to beat Liverpool to the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, according to a source, as TEAMtalk reveals whether the winger could be persuaded to move to Old Trafford in the January transfer window.

Elsewhere, United and Arsenal are poised to join Manchester City in the pursuit of Newcastle United star Tino Livramento, according to a report, while our transfer correspondent Dean Jones has explained why the 23-year-old ‘can’t lose’.