Crystal Palace have made it clear they do not want to sell Adam Wharton this summer following reports Manchester City made contact over a potential deal.
The England international arrived at Selhurst Park in February 2024 from Blackburn Rovers and he has been a key first-team member ever since, making 102 appearances in all competitions.
Wharton has been a driving force in midfield and his consistent performances have helped deliver three trophies during his time at the club.
The first piece of silverware was the 2025 FA Cup, when the Eagles defeated Manchester City in the final, before Community Shield glory came via a penalty shootout win against Liverpool.
Last season ended on a high for Palace, who beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final to give the club their first European trophy.
Tyrick Mitchell and Maxence Lacroix, who left for Chelsea this summer, were the only two players in Palace's squad who played more times in the 2025/26 campaign than Wharton.
The midfielder topped his club's assists chart in the Premier League, registering five, while he also led in through balls and was third in total passes.
He can be backed at 25/1 to finish with the most assists in the 2026/27 top-flight campaign.
City make initial enquiry
It is no surprise to see Palace eager to keep hold of Wharton, who has emerged as a transfer target for the Citizens.
City are looking for a replacement for Rodri, who recently completed his move to Barcelona, while Tijjani Reijnders has also left the Etihad Stadium and Nico Gonzalez is attracting interest from Newcastle United.
However, head coach Enzo Maresca looks like he will have to look at alternative targets after City were told by Palace that Wharton, who has three years left to run on his contract, is not for sale.
It remains to be seen whether the Citizens will submit an offer, despite being rebuffed in their initial approach, but it is thought somewhere in the region of £80 million would be needed.
With City having already spent big on Elliot Anderson and also looking to wrap up a deal for Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi, they may have to look for cheaper options.
Wharton unlikely to move
It is not yet known how Wharton is feeling about the transfer interest in him and whether he could possibly push for a move before the end of the transfer window.
Time is the big hindrance for any potential exit for the midfielder, as the Eagles would need to find a suitable replacement in such a short space of time.
Given Palace are not ready to entertain bids and are not looking in the market for a replacement, it looks highly likely that Wharton will remain at Selhurst Park for the first half of the season at least.
Focus on Everton
While City mull over whether to make an offer, Palace and Wharton are preparing for their Premier League season opener at Everton on Saturday.
The Eagles are 12/5 to claim the spoils at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with the draw also 12/5 and the Toffees 23/20 to take all three points.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
