Adam Wharton has opened up about speculation over his relationship with Manchester United ahead of the January transfer window.
United maintain a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old and have been strongly linked with a summer move. His development at Crystal Palace has established him as one of the most promising players in his position, securing him international recognition in England and attracting attention from a number of Europe’s elite teams.
Previous reports suggest that Wharton remains fully committed to his role at Palace, but that Ruben Amorim rates the midfielder highly.
He has four years left on his existing contract at Selhurst Park after completing his £18m move to south London from Blackburn Rovers in 2024.
In an interview with The Athletic, Wharton spoke directly about transfer negotiations. “I don’t look into it or think about it too much,” he said.
“Rumors are always flying around on social media. Is it true or not? Please tell me.
“My friends, my family, my brother, everyone will be messaging me and saying, ‘Are you sure this club is interested?’ It’s like, ‘I didn’t know, thank you for letting me know.’ ”
Regarding the reported interest from United, Wharton continued: “I don’t know who’s spreading it, I don’t know who at United is seeing it. I look at it and think, ‘Okay,’ and then I go about my day.”
“United, big teams, they’re all linked with 10, 20 different players. If I’m one of the 20, it’s nothing special and it doesn’t mean much. I’m talking to my agent about advance planning and possibilities.”
“But at the end of the day, who is interested, who is going to sign you, and what if that becomes a fact? You can talk about it, but you have to express it on the pitch and prove that you deserve it.”
