March 15 2025

Adam Wharton

The summer transfer window is approaching, and Arsenal are among the clubs vigorously working to strengthen their squad, writes Ben Frost.

The summer transfer window is approaching, and Arsenal are among the clubs vigorously working to strengthen their squad, writes Ben Frost.

In addition to chasing Europe’s most-wanted Spanish player, Martin Zubimendi, the London club is also targeting Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

Arsenal are actively searching for transfer opportunities as they aim to challenge for the Premier League title next season with Liverpool seemingly having it in the bag this term.

The Gunners will face significant competition in their pursuit of the young English player, as Real Madrid have also expressed interest. According to the Daily Mail, Real have already watched Wharton during a match at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also in the running. Crystal Palace have set a minimum value of £70 million for the player, which makes the deal quite challenging for Arsenal.

What do we know about a Crystal Palace midfielder? Having started his career at Blackburn, Adam played alongside his older brother Scott Wharton. Just a few would have predicted that Adam would soon become an England international. His ability to pass forward from deep positions on the field was never in doubt, and Palace eventually won the race to sign him.

With his technical skills improving and the arrival of manager Oliver Glasner, Wharton thrived in the Premier League, contributing to Palace winning six of their last seven games of the season. Following the decline in form of Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips, Wharton demonstrated he could fill the gap in midfield.

His path to stardom feels pretty overwhelming. As a boy, he was a fan of Blackburn defender Chris Samba, even receiving a pair of boots signed by his idol. Wharton scored four goals for Blackburn during his career and is known for his somersault celebrations, though he has yet to perform one at Selhurst Park.

On August 10, 2022, Adam made his first appearance for Blackburn Rovers, having signed a two-and-a-half-year contract a few months earlier, with a peculiar option of extending it until 2025. His debut came in a Football League Cup tie with Hartlepool United.

On August 27, he made his first appearance in the Championship, coming on as a substitute for his colleague Joe Rankin-Costello against Stoke City. On October 22, he scored the first goal for the club in a fixture against Birmingham City. This date marked a successful introduction to the players' competitive play at this level.

On February 1, 2024, Wharton signed a five-and-a-half contract with Crystal Palace, with the transfer amount of £18 million.

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Reflecting on his early childhood, Wharton described himself as a child who was obsessed with football. He imitated Thierry Henry, pulling his socks over his knees, and accompanied each goal scored with Ronaldinho's signature gesture.

"Since I have been fond of football from an early age, it is complicated for me to see any negative aspects of it. Anyway, I never lived a typical life. Every day since childhood, I have thought about football. I enjoyed it to such an extent that I never really thought about what I might be missing," the midfielder shared.

Among his colleagues, Wharton singled out Lionel Messi, Frank de Jong and Sergio Busquets as influences, while naming Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis as the most professional players he has had the chance to collaborate with on the field.

In the autumn of 2023, the "Prodigy from Blackburn" was included in the top 50 brightest young players worldwide, compiled by Scouting Notebook.

Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta sees Wharton as a potential replacement for Thomas Partey, who is likely to leave the club in the summer.

Wharton has outstanding qualities, comprising a high interception rate and confidence in one-on-one tackles. Declan Rice has highly rated his abilities, claiming that at the age of 20, Wharton demonstrates a level worthy of international top clubs.

What makes this football player so prolific? Wharton’s sharp passes, deft first touch and ability to control the ball in limited spaces stood out. The amount of time and effort he can invest, combined with the quality of coaching and facilities available to him, drastically surpass what many others have access to.

However, Arsenal face a tough decision: will the club be able to afford two expensive transfers for the centre of the field at once? The answer is just around the corner.