Adam Wharton makes Man Utd transfer demand

Robin Bairner

1 Dec 2025 08:08 GMT
4 min read

Adam Wharton has emerged as a major transfer target for Manchester United, and the England international has laid down one huge demand for the Old Trafford club to meet if he is to complete the switch.

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Ruben Amorim’s side are tracking numerous options to fill a spot in the heart of their side. The Portuguese is unconvincing by both Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte, while Casemiro is liable to leave at the end of the season.

Wharton is seen as one of the leading candidates to move to Old Trafford in return, having excelled for Crystal Palace in recent times. Competition for the 21-year-old is set to be fierce, and the former Blackburn Rovers star has named one condition that he will insist upon if a deal if to be struck.

Current ETV

Adam Wharton

M (C)

C. Palace

Adam Wharton

M (C)

C. Palace

ETV Range

€55.9M - €68.3M

According to the Daily Mirror, Wharton will insist on Man Utd qualifying for Europe next season if they are to have even a sniff of signing him.

It claims: “While Wharton favours a return to the north west, he will not leave Palace to join a club that cannot offer him European football. The 21-year-old believes he is ready to take that next step to a bigger club, which involves performing on the biggest stage on a regular basis.”

Will Man Utd qualify for Europe next season?

Although Man Utd have made upward progress in the Premier League this season under Amorim, underlined by a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, they are still only seventh in the standings.

There is no guarantee that the Old Trafford side will be involved in European football next season. Even if they are, it remains to be seen if the Conference or Europa League will be enough for Wharton, who is playing in the former competition for Palace this season.

With Champions League-level teams liable to be chasing the Englishman, it may be that Man Utd need to crack the top four this season to sign him.

Glasner fumes at Crystal Palace transfer policy

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, meanwhile, has gone public over his unhappiness at the club’s transfer policy this summer.

Following the loss to United, he said: “Yes, I think that lack of depth is the issue, and I never talked about it, but today it feels like it's time, because I want to protect the players.

“Yes, the energy level was not that high at the end, they looked a little bit fatigued, and I want to protect them, because I know how hard they are working every single day and giving everything.

“It was our 22nd game, Man Utd's 14th game. I could see that they were physically better. Yes, we get mentally a little bit fatigued, and that's what we are definitely facing.”

Glasner’s stance means that Wharton’s sale appears completely off the menu for January, with the midfielder instead becoming an issue for Palace to deal with next summer.

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