Xabi Alonso told to sign £80m Man Utd target to be ‘the future of Chelsea’ – ‘it’s time to move on’ | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has been encouraged to sign Manchester United target Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace.

Liverpool legend Alonso was recently named as Chelsea’s new boss ahead of next season, and the Basque manager has a major job on hands ahead of next season.

Chelsea likely need to sell several valuable assets to balance the books after missing out on European qualification, but they will also inevitably be active in the transfer market for additions to give Alonso a greater chance of being a success at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues need to focus on strengthening their goalkeeper and centre-back departments, but ex-Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend thinks they need to bring in £80m-rated England international Wharton from Crystal Palace.

Wharton has been named as one of two midfielders wanted by Man Utd after Ederson, but Townsend thinks he could be the “future of Chelsea.

“I could see a Moises Caicedo and Adam Wharton axis as the future of Chelsea,” Townsend told OLBG.

“If that’s the way that Xabi Alonso wants to do it, whether it’s a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3, then I could absolutely see that working.

“I think Adam Wharton is a very classy player. He reminds me of Michael Carrick, the way Carrick used to play at Manchester United, he always looked like he had a bit of time on the ball.

“He wasn’t the quickest, and you think people would be able to get him and close him down, but that rarely happened. I think Adam Wharton is similar.”

“It’s time to move on…”

Townsend has also explained why he thinks Wharton may decide that it is “time to move on” from Crystal Palace this summer.

“Whenever I watch him play, he always seemingly has his next pass ready, as soon as the ball comes to him, he knows what he’s doing,” Townsend added.

“Missing out on the England squad may act as a little bit of an incentive to feel that it’s time to move on. Palace have just enjoyed some success and on the back of that, it would make perfect sense for him to move.

“I think his left foot alongside Caicedo could absolutely work at a place like Chelsea. He is a talented player.

“In this era of players who are physical specimens, it’s nice to see someone who can do a bit of that but also has an elegance about his game. Adam Wharton has that.

“As I said, I think the nearest comparison I could make would be to someone like Michael Carrick, he plays in a very similar way. I think he’d suit Chelsea.”