Man City can now move on from Cole Palmer by signing £60m Premier League star

Man City has identified England’s most recent rising sensation as a potential transfer target…

Pep Guardiola is perpetually striving to improve his personnel, despite the fact that Manchester City secured their fourth consecutive Premier League title last season.

Although acquisitions have been made thus far, is the Spaniard considering the long-term future of his team? Given the apparent interest in a current English phenomenon…

City have “identified Adam Wharton as a long-term transfer target” as a result of his impressive start to life in the top flight for Crystal Palace, according to Dom Smith, football correspondent for the Evening Standard.

After a remarkable six months, the promising youth has secured a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the forthcoming European Championships.Palace only acquired him for a fee that could potentially exceed £22 million during the January transfer window. However, there are already indications that his current market value is closer to £60 million, as Bayern Munich has expressed interest in him.

Although Guardiola has provided opportunities to numerous inexperienced players during his tenure at City, Phil Foden is the most notable example. However, the sale of Cole Palmer to Chelsea last summer appears to have been a catastrophic error.
Is it possible that the Spaniard may disregard Palmer entirely by designating Wharton as one of his primary transfer targets in the future?

Wharton was playing for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship at the beginning of January, and he made 29 appearances in all competitions. However, Palace acquired him during the transfer window and introduced him to the Premier League.

He appeared in the top division on 16 occasions between that time and the season’s conclusion, contributing three assists and impressing nearly everyone, including Southgate.In the Premier League, Wharton ranked fifth among his teammates for big chances created (five), fourth for key passes per game (1.3), and third for accurate long balls per game (1.8) despite playing only 16 times. He smoothly transitioned from the second tier to the top division.

Wharton, who was recently described as a “phenom defensive midfielder” by analyst Jon Mackenzie, possesses the necessary skills to compete at the highest level. He would not be out of place in the current City starting XI.

Last summer, numerous individuals believed that Guardiola’s decision to transfer Palmer for approximately £40 million was a wise business decision. However, the Chelsea jewel concluded the 2023/24 season with 25 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, a testament to the fact that even the most accomplished individuals make mistakes from time to time.

With this recent development in his mind, the former Barcelona manager, who previously acknowledged his desire to retain Palmer at the club, may be able to address the void in his squad by recruiting another exceptional promising left-footer in the form of Wharton.

Identifying the Palace jewel as a target is a prudent decision. If he continues to impress during the Euros and into the upcoming season, it is conceivable that the City faithful may witness the 20-year-old at the Etihad sooner rather than later.

The Eagles’ prodigy appears to be the genuine article, and he may serve as England’s covert weapon in Germany this summer as Southgate endeavors to conclude their nearly 60-year absence of a major trophy. However, only time will tell.