Man Utd warned off signing one of Baleba, Wharton, Anderson who is overhyped and not the answer | OneFootball

Manchester United are targeting a colossal TRIPLE signing in midfield worth a quarter of a billion pounds, but a former United striker has warned one of the trio is not worth the risk.

Man Utd are formulating plans to overhaul their midfield across the next few windows. TEAMtalk brought news on Tuesday of the Red Devils identifying Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson as their primary targets.

The common theme among those players is they’re all young and Premier League-proven. United are placing greater emphasis on signing players who’ll spend the best years of their career at Old Trafford, as well as those whose Premier League experience ensures they’ll hit the ground running.

The trio could cost as much as £250m combined (Baleba – £100m, Anderson -£80m, Wharton -£70m). Accordingly the rebuild will not be completed in one window and could stretch into 2027 before it’s finished.

But according to 1999 treble-winner, Dwight Yorke, Man Utd would be making a mistake if moving for Crystal Palace’s Wharton.

In quotes carried by Goal, Yorke suggested Wharton is overhyped and at 21, a move to Old Trafford could be too much, too soon.

There is recent history to back up that theory, with the likes of Antony and Rasmus Hojlund moving to United for big fees while in their very early 20s. Both players flopped at United, though it’s important to stress they came from weaker leagues and had zero experience in English football.

“I’m not sure Adam Wharton is the answer,” began Yorke. “He’s still not quite there for me yet and that’s an area of concern we have to look to improve.

“It is a gap in this Man United team. You look at the history behind the football club in its most successful years and they always had a fantastic number six in that position.

“Casemiro has been hit and miss at times and it’s a key part of your team. You listen to all the great managers, that central area of your midfield is always so important. It’s a tough gig that one to find the right players and I think that’s why they’re struggling.

“They haven’t got that player who can set the floor of the game, as I always call it, and dictate the pace, who defends but passes the ball forwards, and can see the pass.

“These types of players are rare which surprises me as on the face of it it’s not the most difficult job in the world but it’s the most crucial. Who I would like to see in that position more?

“I can’t think, honestly, because there’s too much hype around some of these players. Bring back Michael Carrick, maybe? There we go. He’d have done a job in this team!”

Man Utd should ignore Yorke and sign Wharton

TEAMtalk’s writers have run the rule over which of Wharton, Baleba and Anderson Man Utd should give priority to signing first in the upcoming January window.

Despite Yorke’s concerns, the general consensus was Wharton is the player United should hoover up first.

One of our writers, James Holland, explained: “At just 21 years of age, he has – incredibly – already established himself as one of, if not the most composed player in the Premier League.

“He seamlessly made the step up from Blackburn Rovers to Palace, and he can do so again by joining United – despite the huge pressure at Old Trafford.

“Elliot Anderson gets more of the ball at Nottingham Forest, while Brighton’s Carlos Baleba is the most defensive option. But Wharton can do it all.

“Even with the fewer passes he gets, Wharton is more effective than Anderson when playing the ball into the final third.

“Anderson may be ahead of Wharton in the England pecking order currently, but I expect that to change in the long run. Wharton was held back by groin and ankle injuries last season, and he is starting to show his class again now that he is fully fit.”

In other news, Man Utd are highly unlikely to be drawn into the transfer chase for Antoine Semenyo in January after two top sources outlined where Ruben Amorim’s priorities lie, and with the Red Devils putting all their energies into another target instead.