Alex Scott, Keane Lewis-Potter, Harry Souttar and João Pedro have taken a step forward since Championship for the Premier League in recent seasons but have struggled to match the form that saw Bournemouth, Brentford, Leicester and Brighton spend money on them.
Scott was labeled by Pep Guardiola as an “unbelievable player” following Bristol City’s FA Cup draw against City of Manchester. Lewis-Potter starred in his final season at Hull City scoring 13 goals. Souttar was one of Australia’s best players at the World Cup in Qatar before being transferred for £15m from Stoke to Leicester, while Brighton broke their transfer record to sign Pedro.
They have had only fleeting moments at the start of the Premier League, something that cannot be said about Crystal Palace the Championship’s most recent addition, Adam Wharton, who has not only adapted well since swapping Blackburn for South London, but has also emerged as one of Oliver Glasner’s best players in recent weeks.
His rise to recognition was summed up by his performance during the Eagles’ 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United. Against Kobbie Mainoo, Wharton’s skill in midfield allowed the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze to stand out, with their sublime forward passes.
Palace recently won three games in a row for the first time under the Austrian and at the start of that run at Anfield against a team pushing for the title Liverpool, Wharton announced himself. It was a performance from the young midfielder that belied his age of just 20. In fact, Wharton was playing in a 4-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town four months earlier, but he took it all in stride and is a quick learner.
In that 1-0 victory, Wharton dealt with intensity and aggression and, in what was the biggest game he has played in his career to date, looked unnerved on the ball as he started the play that led to Eberechi Eze’s goal.
They followed up the victory with convincing displays against West Ham and Newcastle, where again Wharton controlled the midfield battle against Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Guimarães in both games, the players linked themselves to Manchester City this season.
As much as his great start has come down to his intelligence on the pitch, he has also made a smart decision by choosing Crystal Palace as his next career destination, with Jurgen Klopp’s side, Everton and Newcastle United also reportedly interested. to bring it. .
Wharton was a much-needed asset to Roy Hodgson at the time, after Cheick Doucoure’s injury in November left Palace with a hole that needed filling. If he had joined Eddie Howe’s team he would have struggled to compete with Guimarães for a starting place, Amadou Onana is one of Everton’s stars, and the high pressure and standards at Liverpool can be a difficult environment for players. young players grow up. .
In truth, there aren’t many better clubs for an exciting young Championship talent to go to when looking to take his first steps into the Premier League. Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have become Palace’s standout players since joining from Queens Park Rangers and Reading respectively.
Wharton is not yet at the level of his two strikers but has started 11 of the 12 games since his £22.5m move, with his only substitute appearance being his debut against Brighton. It was a difficult debut after replacing Marc Guehi in the 28th minute as his side lost 4-1 and he was partly to blame for Brighton’s third goal.
It was a rare mistake in his young top-flight career so far, but he has shown the character to not only carry on but to really stamp his authority on the Premier League midfield. Their next challenge will be against Manchester United and, barring the game against Liverpool, there will be a much larger crowd watching, potentially including the England manager. Gareth Southgate.
With UEFA increasing squad size to 26 players for the Euros in the summer, it allows Southgate to bring in players with more unique skill sets. With England possessing a wide variety of attacking options,the base of midfield is a weaker position in comparison.
Declan Rice is Southgate’s trusted defensive midfielder, but beyond him there is a lack of depth, with Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold more likely to work alongside the Arsenal midfielder rather than replace it.
Kalvin Phillips’ underwhelming loan spell at West Ham has left him with a lot to do if he is to get back into the England books, and Mainoo, like Wharton, has been impressive since he was given a chance but is still unproven.
That leaves Wharton with the chance to be used as a backup to Rice this summer, and with the 20-year-old facing Mainoo on Monday, it could be a good chance for him to prove why he deserves a seat on the plane to Germany instead. from his United counterpart.
Southgate calling up the 20-year-old would be a surprise and it wouldn’t be controversial to leave him behind, but he gave something Palace fans desperately asked for.
“I don’t think about it too much,” admitted Wharton, saying a place in Southgate’s squad in Germany would be a “bonus”.
“My focus, especially at the moment, is all on Crystal Palace. There is no international break until after the season. So for the next six weeks, whatever it is, I’m going to be all Crystal Palace.
“I don’t think about it much,” he admitted. “My focus, especially at the moment, is all on Crystal Palace. There is no international break until after the season. So for the next six weeks, whatever it is, I’m going to be all Crystal Palace.”
In January, traveling fans displayed a banner in the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal that read: “Wasted potential on and off the pitch. Weak decisions. Taking us backwards.”
That message was shown nine days before Palace announced Wharton, and he proved why Palace made a great decision in picking him to lead the midfield, even if Southgate won’t do so for now.
