Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid poised for transfer disappointment over £54 million England international | OneFootball

Officials at the Etihad Stadium are expected to be left disappointed over the stance taken by one midfielder whom they admire over a potential switch in the coming years.

Manchester City remain on the hunt for a suitable option to act as back-up to Rodrigo in the defensive area of their midfield trio for the upcoming season, and while the club would be open to an experienced name, talents for the longer-term future are being prioritised.

The need for a more suitable profile for the role comes in light of Kalvin Phillips’ struggles to acclimatise to Pep Guardiola’s play-style demands, and City officials are in the process of targeting a new career path for the Englishman, either on loan or permanently this summer.

And as the chase for the likes of Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich remains ongoing, there has been clear admiration for the talents of rising England international and former Blackburn starlet Adam Wharton.

Reports in early June indicated that City had identified Wharton as a long-term transfer target, and while they were not expected to move for the 20-year-old this summer, they view him as a potential future signing as part of midfield succession planning.

Now, according to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Adam Wharton is ready to give Selhurst Park bosses a significant boost by staying for the season despite significant transfer interest from across Europe.

It is revealed that Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have already been told to treble the £18 million paid by Crystal Palace in January, while both Manchester City and Real Madrid have been ‘alerted by his form’.

Despite the admiration for his talents and the strong interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, Wharton is said to be ‘happy’ with Crystal Palace and settled in London, and as such is ‘content to keep improving’ in Oliver Glasner’s side.

Wharton is a boyhood Blackburn Rovers fan, joining the club’s Academy system at just six-years-old, and signing his first professional contract at Ewood Park in February 2022, giving him the option to remain with the club until the summer of 2025.

Following a professional debut in the EFL Cup against Hartlepool in August 2022, Wharton’s Championship debut came a few days later, taking on Stoke and completing his first 90 minutes at the end of the month against Blackpool, claiming Player of the Match.

Crystal Palace announced the signing of Wharton on a five-and-a-half year contract, worth an initial fee of £18 million, potentially rising to £22 million, and making his first appearance off the bench against Brighton, before starting all 15 remaining Premier League games.