Real Madrid still want a midfielder, and Adam Wharton has become the name they like most from the Premier League. The problem is simple enough: Crystal Palace have him tied down until 2029 and value him at around €100 million, which makes this a hard move to land late in the window.
Madrid's route to Wharton
Madrid's interest did not come out of nowhere. After missing out on Rodri, they have looked again at the Premier League, and Miguel Serrano reported that Wharton is their favourite solution in midfield. A CaughtOffside report added that Madrid have kept tabs on him for 12-18 months.
That tracking makes sense when you look at what Madrid already had last season. They finished second in La Liga in 2025 and scored 77 goals in 38 matches, but the club still want more control in midfield rather than just more output at the top end.
Wharton has also been steady enough to stay on the radar. He averaged a 7.1 rating across his last five matches, and all five of those recent appearances came in midfield. That is the profile Madrid are chasing, not a wide option or a stopgap.
Palace's leverage
Palace hold the stronger hand here. The contract runs to 2029, the valuation sits at around €100 million, and there is no sign in the reporting of a bid being made. That is a big gap between interest and action.
The fee point is the real obstacle. Madrid were priced out of a move for Enzo Fernandez earlier in the summer, so another expensive midfield chase is not exactly new territory for them. Manchester United and Chelsea are also interested in Wharton, which only makes Palace's position firmer.
Jose Mourinho's name has been linked with the broader midfield conversation, but the concrete story right now is about Madrid weighing up whether Wharton is worth that price. Palace do not need to rush, and Madrid still need to decide whether the player they have tracked for 12-18 months is worth a deal that starts at around €100 million.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
