Former Manchester United defender Gary Pallister has urged his old club to pursue a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, identifying qualities in the 22-year-old that remind him of two legendary Old Trafford figures.
Wharton has attracted significant attention following Palace’s Europa Conference League triumph, and the England international is viewed as one of the Premier League’s most promising young central midfielders.
Pallister, who made 437 appearances for United during his career, believes Wharton shares characteristics with both Roy Keane and Bryan Robson, describing the Palace man as someone who combines industry with creativity rather than offering a limited skillset.
Speaking to Betarades.gr, Pallister noted that Wharton demonstrates willingness to work hard while also possessing an attacking dimension to his game.
The former centre-back suggested Wharton fulfils multiple requirements for a top-level midfielder.
With the summer transfer window having closed, Michael Carrick’s United squad is now finalized for the first half of the campaign.
The club completed four senior signings, with the midfield undergoing substantial change following Casemiro’s departure.
Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea in a £50million deal, later joined by Belgium international Youri Tielemans after his release from Aston Villa.
Carlos Baleba completed the midfield additions, arriving from Brighton in a transaction potentially worth £70million.
Backup goalkeeper Karl Darlow was also secured.
United’s competitive record this term shows inconsistency.
The team suffered a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, responded with a commanding 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town, and required a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw against Everton.
Most recently, a 4-0 triumph over Sabah FK in European competition provided encouragement.
Despite three midfield recruits, Pallister maintains that further quality remains necessary in that department.
Meanwhile, Premier League rivals have been equally active in the transfer market.
Manchester City secured Portuguese forwardro from Nottingham Forest for £116million, while Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in a deal worth £125million.
Tottenham completed high-profile acquisitions including Sandro Tonali for £100million and Mateus Fernandes for £85million.
Palace maintained throughout the window that Wharton was not available, resulting in the player remaining at Selhurst Park.
However, with the winter transfer period approaching, renewed interest is anticipated and United have long been credited with monitoring his situation.