Crystal Palace Blocks Wharton Exit Amid United Left-Back Search
Pierre Sage has drawn a firm line in the sand over Adam Wharton’s future – and it does not involve Old Trafford this summer.
The new Crystal Palace head coach, speaking before his side return to Premier League duty this weekend, made it clear the England international will not be leaving Selhurst Park despite sustained interest from Manchester United.
“We sold big players and now I think it's not the moment to do that,” Sage said. “Adam can play at a big club but I think one year with us, one year with a new dynamic, will be good for him and we need him.”
Palace have already cashed in on several key names. Wharton, Sage insists, will not be the next out of the door.
United turn to left-back market
With Wharton off the table, United’s recruitment drive has swung back to a more familiar problem area: left-back.
After moving for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, United have “made contact” with the camp of Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde as they look to add competition down the left flank. The message from Spain is blunt – Balde is happy where he is – but the need at Old Trafford remains.
Michael Carrick goes into the new campaign with Luke Shaw as his only senior left-back. Patrick Dorgu is viewed as an option higher up the pitch, while youngster Harry Amass is expected to leave, stripping away depth in a position that has already tested United in recent seasons. Shaw’s fitness held up last year, but his injury record lingers in the background.
United have also been offered RB Leipzig’s David Raum, who is in the final year of his contract and could be sold to avoid a free transfer next summer. Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas has been put forward as another possibility.
Reports in Spain claim United have now formally entered the race for Salinas, a 19-year-old left-back with a £13.7m release clause and long-standing interest from Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. The exact structure of United’s proposal is not detailed, but the club are said to have “burst into negotiations” as they search for a long-term answer on that flank.
Baleba deal edges closer
The left-back hunt runs parallel to United’s push to land Baleba from Brighton.
United have already brought in Karl Darlow, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, yet Carrick has repeatedly stressed the need for more signings. The club have now tabled an offer worth around £60m plus £5m in add-ons for Baleba as they look to reshape a midfield hit by Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious World Cup injury.
There is still work to do to finalise the transfer, but Baleba has been keen on the move since United’s initial enquiries last summer, and an agreement with Brighton is expected. If it goes through, the Cameroonian will join Santos and Tielemans as the third midfield arrival at Old Trafford in this window.
Carrick, speaking before United’s trip to Hull City on Saturday, made no attempt to hide the club’s intent.
“I just think we're looking to strengthen the squad,” he said. “We're certainly working towards that, making the most of the situation that we have and trying to improve things and trying to move forward.
“We're certainly trying to make the most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. And I think we're a good way to doing that, so far.”
Rashford’s future tilts towards United stay
Amid the churn of incoming targets and defensive reshuffles, Marcus Rashford’s future has quietly shifted.
Back from a season-long loan at Barcelona, the 28-year-old has been training at Carrington while United remain open to offers in the closing stages of the window. Yet the tone around him is changing.
Carrick praised Rashford for training “fantastically well” when asked whether the forward had expressed a desire to stay beyond deadline day. With the clock ticking and no move yet materialising, it now looks increasingly likely he will be reintegrated into the squad for the new campaign.
New season, same scrutiny
United’s transfer activity was always going to spike in the final fortnight of the window. The squad has already been reshaped, more deals are on the table, and the Premier League curtain is lifting.
Champions Arsenal open the season at home to newly-promoted Coventry City, before United step into the spotlight away at Hull City in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Carrick wants more bodies, more balance, more bite. Palace have shut down one avenue with their stance on Wharton. The question now is whether United can solve their left-back puzzle and land Baleba in time to give this new-look side the platform it needs from day one.
