Palace Midfielder Insists He Was Never Close to a Move
Adam Wharton has dismissed suggestions that he came close to joining Manchester City this summer. The Crystal Palace midfielder says he never entertained the idea of leaving Selhurst Park, despite reported interest from the Blues.
City are understood to have made a late enquiry for the 22-year-old before completing a deal for Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea. But Wharton claims he was oblivious to any negotiations, and happier for it.
"I never really thought about transfers this summer. I stay very far away from it," he said. "My agent doesn't really tell me anything; I don't want to know anything. If I'm not going to move, there's no need for me to have any information."
That approach, he suggests, is deliberate. By shutting out the noise, Wharton can focus on the only thing that matters: playing. "I never thought about a different club; I was always here training, looking forward to a new season, the gaffer, new players coming in."
It is a refreshingly old-school attitude in an era of rolling transfer gossip. Wharton, an England international, had been on City's radar for several years. Pep Guardiola, Maresca's predecessor, publicly expressed his admiration for the player. But any move would have been complicated by his contract situation.
"I have three years left at Palace; for all I know I'm here for three years unless a club comes in or there's another contract," Wharton added. "I take it week by week, game by game. That helps me get the best out of myself and concentrate on what is next. There's never really anything more to it. I'm happy to be playing games and trying to improve."
With three years still to run on his deal, Palace are under no pressure to sell. Any offer would probably have to exceed £100m to be considered, which may explain why City looked elsewhere. The Blues recruited three new midfielders this summer: Fernandez, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson. It seems unlikely they will reignite their pursuit of Wharton.
Liverpool and Manchester United have also been linked with the midfielder, but he appears in no rush to leave. For now, Wharton is content at Palace, taking it one game at a time. And that, he insists, is all there is to it.