Adam Wharton insists he is ‘happy’ and has ‘never even thought about a different club’ while he has been contracted to Crystal Palace.
The 22-year-old left boyhood team Blackburn Rovers to join Palace for a fee of £18million back in 2024 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the most sought-after central midfielders in English football.
In that time, Wharton has made a total of 99 appearances for the Eagles while registering one goal and 12 assists in all competitions across his two-and-a-half year stay at Selhurst Park.
Wharton proved an instrumental figure under Oliver Glasner, lifting the FA Cup, the Europa Conference League and the Community Shield during what was an unprecedented period of success for the club.
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But Wharton’s outstanding performances have reportedly made him a target for the Premier League’s elite and there has been incessant speculation that the England international could be set for a big-money move away from south London.
Manchester United have long been credited with an interest in Wharton. However, the Red Devils focussed their attentions elsewhere this summer, bringing in Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to strengthen their midfield options.
Chelsea are also believed to be admirers but decided against launching a bid ahead of their 2026/27 campaign after adding Morgan Rogers, Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson to Xabi Alonso’s squad.
‘To be honest, I never really thought about a transfer this summer,’ Wharton told reporters when quizzed on his future ahead of Palace’s Europa League group-stage opener with Lech Poznan.
‘I stay very far away from it and my agent doesn’t really tell me anything. I don’t want to know anything.
‘If I’m not going to move then there’s no need for me to have any information. It would only be in your mind and you’re going to overthink it so I never even thought about a different club.’
According to Wharton, there was little truth to the rumours that circulating over his future in the summer transfer window.
‘I was always here training, look forward to the new season with the gaffer [Pierre Sage] and the new staff, obviously new players coming in,’ he added.
‘I’ve still got three years left at Crystal Palace so for all I know, I’m here for another three years unless another club comes in or there’s a new contract.
‘I don’t know, I don’t really look too far ahead. I just take it week by week, game by game, and that helps me get the best out of myself so I can just concentrate on what’s next.
‘There’s never anything to it and I’m happy to be here, playing games and obviously trying to improve.’
Palace first qualified for the Europa League after lifting the FA Cup two seasons ago, only to get demoted to the Europa Conference League for breaching UEFAs multi-club ownership rules.
But after winning Europe’s third-tier competition, the Eagles are keen to make up for lost time under their new manager Pierre Sage.
‘It’s exciting for us and the club, obviously coming off last year,’ Wharton explained.
‘First time in Europe, a new step for the club, we embraced it, took it on and we were obviously very successful.
‘I think it’s the same this year. Obviously we’ve not been in the Europa League before so everyone just wants to embrace it and take it in their stride.
‘There weren’t really any aims within it [the Europa Conference League] last year… obviously we wanted to win but we’d never been in it before so we didn’t really know what to expect.
‘I think it’s the same here and I don’t see why we can’t go very far and try to win it. That’s the aim.’
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