Crystal Palace At Risk of Losing Key Midfielder as ‘Serious Interest’ Sparks Swap Deal Talk

Crystal Palace could be preparing for a trade deal next summer. The Eagles have grown accustomed to losing some of their greatest players in recent years, whether it was Wilfried Zaha (on two occasions) or, more recently, Michael Olise.

Palace has nurtured players well over the years, raking in large payments along the way, with Olise sold for £50 million and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the same amount. A number of additional players will go on the market before next summer, with Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, and Adam Wharton being the most likely targets.

In the instance of Wharton, Palace stand to earn handsomely if the midfielder departs. Wharton joined Palace from Blackburn Rovers for £18 million – a figure that might grow to £22 million – and is now estimated to be worth £35 million to £40 million. Manchester City are rumoured to be interested in signing Wharton, as the club requires greater backup for Rodri, as evidenced by the Spaniard’s absence this season due to injury.
City signed Kalvin Phillips for that aim, but the England international failed to contend for even a backup place, especially as Rico Lewis emerged. Palace would most likely play hardball over any Wharton price, especially given his recent arrival, but a swap deal might be in the works.

According to the Express, Palace is interested in versatile City player James McAtee, who has impressed in two loan periods with Sheffield United, but has only made six league appearances for City.

Despite not employing McAtee, City are reported to value the 22-year-old at £25 million, perhaps putting a player-plus-cash deal on the table, according to the same article. In actuality, those arrangements are fairly rare, but clubs are now doing separate pre-agreed deals, similar to swap deals, to ensure they get the most out of transfers in terms of profit and sustainability.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *