Chelsea handed Adam Wharton transfer green light as chief makes Man Utd admission

Former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole believes his old club have a real chance of beating the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United to the signing of Adam Wharton next summer.

The 21-year-old midfielder has been a sensation since signing for Crystal Palace in February 2024. His performances have attracted reported interest from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs. Chelsea are among the clubs linked to a move for Wharton, with some reports claiming the Blues are expected to be in the race for the England international next summer.

However, Chelsea could face stern competition from the likes of Liverpool, who are reportedly looking for more depth in their midfield, and Man United, with that area of the pitch being a problem for Ruben Amorim. Enzo Maresca already has Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to choose from in the centre of midfield, but the backup options have raised a few questions.

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Romeo Lavia, while being significant to the Chelsea setup when available, has struggled massively with consistent injury problems since signing for the club. Dario Essugo is viewed as an exceptional talent, but equally as one for the future, while Andrey Santos can play in various positions across the midfield.

Cole believes adding Wharton to the options Maresca already has in his arsenal would be excellent for the club and would avoid them "coming up short" in the future.

"They're going for everyone, Chelsea, aren't they? All the top young players," Cole said to Boyle Sports. "Moises Caicedo is a top player, but adding Adam Wharton alongside Enzo Fernandez would create a formidable midfield.

"That is a tasty combination, with those three in midfield and everything about it. That is proper. It would be a very, very hard defence to get by. Going forward, they've got a lot.

"They probably need an extra pair of legs in there to bolster the midfield, especially with the Champions League and so many domestic games coming up. They might come up a little bit short if the boys aren't fit to play, which burns out another part of your team.

"They could support that with a top-quality player from the English squad. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Wharton went to Chelsea, and they'd look at that as an asset."

Steve Parish, the Crystal Palace owner, said on talkSPORT earlier in the week that the likelihood is Wharton will want to play Champions League football sooner rather than later. Parish conceded that could mean he looks for a way out of Selhurst Park in the near future. Parish said: "I think Adam at some point will want to play either in the Champions League with us, if we can make that happen, or probably with another club.

"He's an extraordinary talent. I think right now, and I can't speak for Adam, but I think he is focused on his time at Crystal Palace. He had a broken season last season with the groin issues that he had that a lot of young players get.

"I think this season he's completely focused on putting the games in, getting in the England squad, being a regular for us, and making sure that he can show that Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday. It is a difficult programme for us right now.

"I think he is very committed to the club. I do not know where all this stuff comes from."

On Man United's reported interest, Parish added: "If United want Adam Wharton, that is nothing surprising. The fact of the matter is he's got a long contract to run. There is no pressure on us to do it, and I don't think there is any real pressure from the player either."