Real Madrid’s transfer policy of targeting the game’s best emerging talent has paid dividends in recent seasons.
The Spanish giants have swooped early for the likes of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Endrick, to ensure that these highly-rated players hit their peak years at the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid’s recent list of honours has included two La Liga titles and two Champions League wins in the past three seasons, indicating that this transfer strategy is successful. So who will be the next young talent in at the Bernabeu?
Real Madrid looking to Crystal Palace for their next signing
Madrid moved to bolster their already-impressive attack last summer, as Brazilian teenager Endrick arrived from Palmeiras in a €47.5million move, while Kylian Mbappe finally joined in a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
With the club’s frontline sorted, it would now appear that Carlo Ancelotti’s side are looking for some more grit in midfield and are reportedly set to turn to another England international to slot alongside Jude Bellingham.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the club have identified Crystal Palace and Three Lions midfielder Adam Wharton as their next big signing.
Wharton joined Palace in the January 2024 transfer window from Blackburn Rovers for a £22 million fee, with his form for the Eagles during the second half of the season seeing him earn a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad, where he was an unused substitute during the Three Lions run to the final. A groin injury has impacted his first full season at Selhurst Park, but the 21-year-old still has plenty of admirers.
Madrid are said to be ready to go up against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool to land Wharton, with Palace having put a £70m asking price on his head.
The report adds that Madrid have scouted Wharton recently, with the team’s head scout Juni Calafat said to be a ‘great admirer’ of the midfielder and that the team are ready to leverage their prestige and place at Europe’s top table in what will be an ‘intense’ market for the player this summer.
In FourFourTwo’s view, Wharton - valued at €32million by Transfermarkt - has a very bright future ahead of him and it’s no surprise to see the Spanish press firing the starting pistol on what could be the first of many stories over the England man’s future.
It’s easy to see why Real Madrid would want Wharton, given the maturity he has displayed in the middle of the park for Palace in the Premier League. His reading of the game, positioning and ability to receive the ball and move it on could see him become the engine room of a star-packed Madrid side.
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