Adam Wharton wants to play in the Champions League but is committed to Crystal Palace, says club owner Steve Parish.
The midfielder is the subject of interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham after impressing at Selhurst Park.
But Palace are planning to give him an improved contract and potentially a hefty release clause, as Daily Mail Sport has reported, and Parish believes he can achieve his lofty ambitions in south London.
He cost Palace a bargain £18million from Blackburn in 2024 and is now valued around £75m. The 21-year-old has added an FA Cup to his CV and is playing Europa Conference League football.
The Mirror have reported that Man United are plotting a £60m swoop but Palace have a firm hand for now considering he is tied down until 2029.
Parish told talkSPORT: ‘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’s 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’s a difficult programme for us right now.
‘I think he’s very committed to the club. I don’t know where all this stuff comes from.
‘If Manchester United want Adam Wharton, that’s nothing surprising really about that.
‘The fact of the matter is he’s got a long contract to run. There’s no pressure on us to do it, and I don’t think there’s any real pressure from the player either.’
England boss Thomas Tuchel omitted Wharton from his latest squad, but assured the midfielder he is not far off selection. He made his debut last year.
Wharton was again outstanding for Palace on October 5, when Everton ended the Eagles’ 19-game unbeaten run.
Jack Grealish, who scored a 93rd-minute winner for Everton, hailed Wharton as ‘the best player on the pitch’.
Wharton remains happy at Palace, but he will have two years left on his contract at the end of the season and talks over a new deal are expected.
Palace previously put a release clause in Eberechi Eze’s contract and will discuss doing similar in this instance.
Palace’s new sporting director Matt Hobbs is under pressure to maintain a competitive squad to match the ambitions of head coach Oliver Glasner, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
The delay in Eze’s summer transfer to Arsenal plus the saga surrounding Marc Guehi’s proposed move to Liverpool had a knock-on effect to their plans, though Glasner felt they should have been better prepared.
FA Cup winners Palace are exploring the addition of 19-year-old midfielder Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar but Wharton remains pivotal to their plans.
