Who is Adam Wharton? The ex-Chelsea target starring for Crystal Palace

Updated: 22 Apr 2024 13:40 BST
4 min read

Adam Wharton, Crystal Palace, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

Chelsea lost the race to sign Blackburn Rovers wonderkid Adam Wharton during the January transfer window, with Crystal Palace securing his signature for €21.1 million.

The Blues were impressed by Wharton's performance during Blackburn’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in 2023, but the Englishman opted to move to Selhurst Park instead and he has already established himself as a key player under Oliver Glasner.

Article continues under the video

Below, FootballTransfers profiles Palace's latest wonderkid.

What position does Adam Wharton play?

Wharton is a central midfielder. He is best when played as a box-to-box number eight, although he can play slightly deeper or slightly higher.

How good is Adam Wharton?

Wharton was regarded as one of the biggest talents in the Championship and his start to life in the Premier League has been fantastic.

The left-footed midfielder made his senior debut back in 2022 and he was slowly integrated into the senior side at Ewood Park before emerging as a key player in 2023.

Wharton is excellent on the ball and while he is left-footed, the Englishman is equally comfortable playing off his right foot, which is an extremely useful asset to possess.

His technical quality is immense and during his time at Blackburn, h managed to hold his own in Championship midfield battles, something that many youngsters struggle with, despite his small size.

🔵 ⚪ "You know what I think about Adam. He's an excellent player. When I came to the club, I saw his quality and put him into the first-team squad immediately."#Blackburn #Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson is aware of reports linking Adam Wharton with Crystal Palace#bbcfootball
— BBC Sport Lancashire (@BBCLancsSport) January 25, 2024

It’s his ability in possession that stands out, however, as Wharton is incredibly press resistant and frequently manages to bypass opponents through decisive forward passes. He always looks to play forward and his progressive passing numbers are through the roof as a result.

The Palace star has a football maturity beyond his years and combines his ability on the ball with a tenacious defensive attitude that frequently sees him dispossess opposing midfielders.

He is almost the complete number eight and has the potential to become a senior England international within the next few years.

Since joining Palace, Wharton has already put together a string of impressive displays, most notably during the Eagles' 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield, in which he was arguably the best midfielder on the pitch.