Wharton's Palace exit 'agreed' — but City may have to wait another year

Patience could pay off in the race for Adam Wharton

Manchester City's late enquiry for Adam Wharton may have been waved away by Crystal Palace this summer, but the midfielder's path to a big move is already being mapped out.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, has revealed that Wharton has an "informal agreement" with the Eagles that will allow him to leave next summer. It is a scenario that feels familiar to anyone who has watched Palace develop and sell their star assets over the past few seasons.

Wharton, 22, was the subject of a rejected late enquiry from City before the window shut. Palace, who lifted the FA Cup and the Conference League with Wharton as a key figure, had no intention of letting him go. He is under contract until 2029, which puts them in a commanding position.

But Brown suggested that the midfielder's situation mirrors those of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Marc Guehi — players who bided their time, developed at Selhurst Park, and eventually got their move. Wharton, he says, is happy to follow that same path.

"He's been realistic, he knows there is interest in him, but he's under contract at Crystal Palace and he's a crucial player for a side who have won trophies and are playing in Europe," Brown told Football Insider.

Unlike some of his teammates, notably Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta, Wharton has not thrown his toys out of the pram to force a transfer. Brown went as far as to say the England international has "put his teammates to shame" with his loyalty.

That loyalty, it seems, will be repaid. Palace recognise that Wharton has the potential to become one of the world's best — the same belief they held about Guehi and Olise — and they will not stand in his way when the right offer arrives.

City, along with Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid, are tracking the midfielder. A move next summer would still require a significant fee, but the difference is that Palace would be willing to entertain offers. As Brown put it, the situation will not be the same as this summer, when they wouldn't even pick up the phone.

For City, the message is clear: Wharton is a player worth waiting for. The question is whether they are prepared to do so, or whether another club will move first.