Man City Shelve Transfer Interest in Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton After Summer Overhaul
City Xtra · Rwittika Chakraborty · 2026-09-11T08:01:18+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Transfer officials at Manchester City have opted to shelve their interest in Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton following an overhaul in the position over the course of the recent summer window.
The 22-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park from boyhood club Blackburn Rovers on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an initial fee of £18 million in February 2024 and has since turned heads with impressive displays as a defensive midfielder.
The Englishman was part of Crystal Palace’s starting squad in their 2025 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, and helped the side secure the club’s first-ever major trophy in his first full season there.
Wharton has also since won the 2025 Community Shield and the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League titles with the South London side, and was reportedly on Manchester City’s transfer radar for over 12 months.
However, in the days leading up to the most recent summer transfer window deadline, Crystal Palace reportedly turned down the Blues’ contact over potentially bringing him to the Etihad Stadium.
Enzo Maresca content with current Man City midfield
Now, according to Football Insider’s Pete O'Rourke, Crystal Palace had informed Manchester City that Adam Wharton was not for sale during the most-recent summer, irrespective of the price offered to them.
Ultimately, that same window concluded with Enzo Maresca signing Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez from Lille and Chelsea respectively, following Elliot Anderson’s arrival from Nottingham Forest in July, to strengthen their midfield for the 2026/27 campaign.
The latest report suggests that the Eagles are not open to parting ways with Wharton in the upcoming January transfer window, and while Maresca is an admirer, his ‘well-stocked’ midfield means the Blues are currently not considering making another approach.
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage praised Adam Wharton for his decision to stay at Selhurst Park prior to the ongoing season despite strong transfer interest from top clubs, "The club was strong with his situation and the player is completely in line with that."
Sage continued, "He never spoke with me about a possible departure, that's why I think he is in a project to manage his career and he is really smart to do it like this. He did the job every day without a bad mindset and that's why I understood quickly he wanted to stay and prepare his future with us.
"He is really smart to stay one more year and maybe more, because he has 10 years (playing) after that," concluded the Frenchman.
Pete O'Rourke's report also claims that Crystal Palace have an ‘informal agreement’ with Adam Wharton that would allow the midfielder to pursue another opportunity next summer.
Will Man City eye a summer move for Adam Wharton?
Alongside Manchester City, Adam Wharton has been a top transfer prospect for several of the Etihad club's domestic rivals, including all of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.
While his potential suitors were unable to secure his signature in the latest transfer window, some of them are expected to try again in the upcoming markets, especially if Crystal Palace are open to a sale.
Following the departures of Bernardo Silva, Rodri, and Tijjani Reijnders, Manchester City have made major additions to add depth to their midfield and bolster it for Enzo Maresca’s first season in charge.
The Blues kicked off the brand new campaign with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth in their Premier League opener and are currently maintaining a three-game winning streak in the top flight.
City also bagged a 0-2 victory over FC Porto in their first UEFA Champions League game of the season, with Erling Haaland scoring a brace and Enzo Fernandez assisting the Norwegian’s first goal of the contest.
With a long season still ahead, the Blues’ possible interest in pursuing Adam Wharton next summer will depend on their performances in the ongoing campaign, as their current star-studded midfield is seemingly not in need of further additions.
As for now, Enzo Maresca and his colleagues will be focused on their next Premier League match, where they face domestic rivals Manchester United in the first local derby of the season at Old Trafford on September 13.