Adam Wharton is one of the most highly rated young midfielders in English football. His form for Crystal Palace this season has seen him recalled to the England roster. As is often the case with on-form Palace players, they end up being linked. TEAMtalk has revealed that Chelsea is interested in signing Wharton in January. However, if Wharton were to move to Chelsea, it would lead to ripple effects across English football.
3 winners if Adam Wharton were to join Chelsea
Adam Wharton
Palace have had great success this year, winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield. However, they sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal and look set to lose Marc Guéhi when his contract expires at the end of the season.
It feels unlikely that Palace will be able to be sustainable with their recent accomplishments. Wharton will stand a much greater chance of winning more trophies at Chelsea. Although he must be wary that he will face a battle for game time at Stamford Bridge with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, their current midfield options.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca has been able to sign some top-quality players for Chelsea, including Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens, and Alejandro Garnacho. Signing Wharton would be a great addition to Maresca's roster.
Chelsea are currently third in the Premier League and only six points behind the leaders Arsenal. If Wharton were to join the Blues in January, then he could help inspire them to the title. It must be said that Maresca possibly has too big a squad to deal with, as he has had to freeze out many experienced players, including Raheem Sterling.
Blackburn Rovers
Wharton started his career at Blackburn Rovers and played for them in the Championship. When Blackburn sold him to Crystal Palace, they made sure to include a sell-on clause. According to the Lancashire Telegraph, "The club will receive 15% of any profit from a future sale."
Blackburn are currently 19th in the Championship, and any income needs to be spent on improving Valérien Ismaël's roster. The Blue and Whites are former Premier League winners, but are currently a world away from being back in English soccer's top flight.
3 losers if Adam Wharton were to join Chelsea
Oliver Glasner
Oliver Glasner has been Crystal Palace's most successful manager ever, as he guided them to their first pieces of silverware. However, he might not be their boss for much longer if the club continues to sell their best players.
Along with losing Eze to Arsenal, the club also sold Michael Olise to Bayern Munich. There were also rumors that Glasner may have walked if Guéhi was sold to Liverpool on the last transfer deadline day. Losing Wharton to Chelsea in January will not go down well with the current Palace manager.
Roméo Lavia and Dário Essugo
Chelsea already has great midfielders in Caicedo and Fernandez, and the addition of Wharton would send other players in their position further down the pecking order. Roméo Lavia and Dário Essugo are both injured and have been unable to stamp their mark at Stamford Bridge. If Chelsea does sign Wharton, then Lavia and Essugo may soon have to leave the club to ensure regular game time.
Other suitors
Since Wharton broke through at Palace, he has been linked with other top clubs, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich. These clubs would be missing out on a quality midfielder, especially as Chelsea is known for tying down players to long-term, lucrative contracts.