Crystal Palace co-owner, Steve Parish, admits Adam Wharton is destined for Champions League football, with or without his current club.
Blackburn Rovers sold their breakthrough Academy star in January 2023 for a club-record fee. He has been worth every penny of that for the Eagles.
Wharton has taken the Premier League by storm and is the shining example for the next generation at the Brockhall Academy. It is a matter of when, rather than if, the 21-year-old is shining brightly on the very biggest of stages.
Palace have Wharton tied down until 2029 but the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United, amongst plenty of others, have been linked.
READ MORE: Blackburn Rovers international boosts reputation with big test to come
There is an expectation that Blackburn Rovers will be financially rewarded for his success when that big move comes, though the exact terms are unknown at the time of writing.
Palace chief Parish is open-minded that Wharton may eventually leave but insists there is no internal pressure for that to happen soon.
"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," Eagles co-owner Parish told TalkSport.
"He’s an extraordinary talent. I think right now, and I can't speak for Adam, he's focused on his time at Crystal Palace.
"He had a broken season last year with the groin issues he had which a lot of young players get. I think this season, he is completely focused on putting the game in, getting in the England squad and being a regular for us.
"He wants to show that Saturday, Thursday, Sunday - a difficult game's program for us right now - that he can do it. I think he’s very committed to the club.
"I don't know where these stories come from but if Manchester United want Adam Wharton, there’s nothing really surprising about that.
"The fact of the matter is, he’s got a long contract to run, there's no pressure on us to sell him and I don't think there is any real pressure from us either."
Share