The ‘obvious’ one – Man United hellbent on signing ‘outstanding’ EPL star for three reasons | OneFootball

Manchester United are determined to add reinforcement to the middle of the park, as Adam Wharton emerges as one of their main targets.

Last summer, the Red Devils made wholesale changes in the attacking department, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, while offloading the members of the so-called ‘bomb squad’.

But despite the club’s dire need for a new midfielder, that department remained unattended. Nevertheless, with Casemiro expected to depart once his contract expires in June, a new addition will be mandatory, especially with Manuel Ugarte failing to convince.

Why Adam Wharton is deemed the best fit for Man United

At this stage, Man Utd are being linked with various profiles, whether from the Premier League or across the English Channel. The shortlist includes Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Jobe Bellingham, and Conor Gallagher.

Nevertheless, Manchester Evening News journalist Jack Flintham believes that MUFC have an ‘obvious’ first choice in Adam Wharton.

The source argues why the Crystal Palace star is the perfect candidate to strengthen Amorim’s squad next season.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

First, the early exploits of Mbeumo and Cunha may have convinced INEOS that signing EPL-proven players is the safest choice, even though Senne Lammens has been equally impressive, even though he made the move from the Belgian top flight.

Second, the 22-year-old should swiftly adjust to Ruben Amorim’s system, given how Palace play with a similar 3-4-3 under the tutelage of Oliver Glasner.

Finally, Wharton can feature either as a No.6 or a No.8. Hence, he would be able to replace Casemiro as a holding midfielder, but can also inherit Bruno Fernandes’ role should the captain return to his original No.10 role, or depart the club at the end of the season.

Would Wharton solve Man Utd’s midfield issues on his own?

The ‘outstanding’ midfielder would certainly add some much-needed quality in the middle of the park, but one might wonder if a double pivot of Wharton and Bruno would be too ‘light’,  leaving the backline a bit exposed.

Therefore, Man Utd should ideally sign at least two new midfielders in 2026, giving Amorim various combinations to choose from. It has been suggested that signing both Wharton and Baleba could be an option, but the Cameroonian’s early-season form at Brighton has been far from encouraging.