Alex Scott, Keane Lewis-Potter, Harry Souttar and Joao Pedro have all made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League in recent seasons, but have struggled to match the form that saw Bournemouth, Brentford, Leicester and Brighton make it splashing out money for them .
Scott was labeled an ‘incredible player’ by Pep Guardiola following Bristol City’s FA Cup tie against Manchester City. Lewis-Potter played in his final season with Hull City and scored 13 goals. Souttar was one of Australia’s best players at the World Cup in Qatar before moving from Stoke to Leicester for £15 million, while Brighton broke their record transfer fee by signing Pedro.
They have had only fleeting moments in their Premier League starts, something that cannot be said about Crystal Palace’s latest Championship signing Adam Wharton, who has not only established himself well since switching from Blackburn to South London but has also emerged as one of Oliver Glasner’s best players. artists of the past few weeks.
His rise to recognition was epitomized by his performance during the Eagles’ 4–0 defeat of Manchester United. Against Kobbie Mainoo, Wharton’s skill in midfield allowed the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze to shine, with his sublime forward passing.
Palace recently won three games in a row for the first time under the Austrian, before the United clash, and at the start of that streak at Anfield, against a title-pushing Liverpool, Wharton announced himself. It was an achievement by the young midfielder who belied his age of only twenty years. Wharton played in a 4-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town four months earlier, but he has taken everything in his stride and is learning quickly.
In that 1-0 win, Wharton had to deal with the intensity and aggression, and in what was the biggest game he has played in his career so far, he looked nervous on the ball as he initiated the move that made it goal from Eze created.
They followed that win with convincing games against West Ham and Newcastle, where Wharton again controlled the midfield battle against Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes in both matches, players linked to Manchester City this season.
While his stellar start can be credited to his intelligence on the pitch, he also made a smart decision in choosing Crystal Palace as his next destination in his career, with Jurgen Klopp’s side, Everton and Newcastle United reportedly also interested in signing to bring him in. .
Wharton was a necessary signing for Roy Hodgson at a time when Cheick Doucoure’s injury in November left Palace with a gaping hole to fill. Had he joined Eddie Howe, he would have found it difficult to compete with Guimaraes for a starting spot. Amadou Onana is one of Everton’s star players and the high pressure and standards at Liverpool can be a difficult environment for young players to grow. .
There really aren’t many better clubs for a young, exciting Championship talent to join as they look to take their first steps in the Premier League. Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have become Palace’s standout players since joining from Queens Park Rangers and Reading respectively.
Wharton is not yet at the level of his two strikers, but he has started 11 of 12 games since his £22.5m move, with his only substitute appearance coming on his debut against Brighton. It was a difficult introduction after replacing Marc Guehi in the 28th minute as his side lost 4–1 and he was partly to blame for Brighton’s third goal.
It has been a rare mistake in his young top-flight career so far, but he has shown character in not only moving on from it, but really asserting his authority in Premier League midfield. His next challenge will be against Manchester United, and apart from the match against Liverpool, there will be a much bigger crowd to watch, possibly including England manager Gareth Southgate.
With UEFA increasing the squad size to 26 players for the European Championships in the summer, Southgate can bring in players with more unique skills. With England having a wealth of attacking options, the base of midfield is a weaker position in comparison.
Declan Rice is Southgate’s trusted defensive midfielder, but there is a lack of depth outside of him, with Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold likely to work alongside the Arsenal midfielder rather than replace him.
Kalvin Phillips’ disappointing loan spell at West Ham has given him a lot to do if he wants to play in England again, and Mainoo, like Wharton, has been impressive since getting the chance, but is still relatively unproven.
It does give Wharton a chance to be used in a backup role to Rice this summer, and with the 20-year-old facing Mainoo on Monday, it could be a good chance for him to prove why he deserves an award . place on the plane to Germany above its counterpart in the United States.
It would be a surprise if Southgate called up the 20-year-old, and it wouldn’t be controversial to leave him behind, but he has given something that Palace fans so desperately wanted.
“I don’t think about that too much,” Wharton admitted, claiming a place in Southgate’s Germany squad would be a “bonus”.
“My focus, especially at the moment, is completely on Crystal Palace. There will only be an international break after the season. So for the next six weeks, whatever it is, I’m all Crystal Palace.
“I don’t think about that much,” he admitted. “My focus, especially at the moment, is completely on Crystal Palace. There will only be an international break after the season. So for the next six weeks, whatever it is, I’m all Crystal Palace.’
In January, traveling fans displayed a banner during the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal that read: “Wasted potential on and off the pitch. Weak decisions. It takes us backwards.”
That message was shown nine days before Palace announced Wharton, and it has proven why Palace have made a great decision to choose him to lead their midfield, even if Southgate won’t for the time being.