Crystal Palace Blocks Adam Wharton Exit Amid United Left-Back Search
Pierre Sage has drawn a hard line in the sand. Adam Wharton is not leaving Crystal Palace this summer.
The new Eagles boss, already dealing with the departures of several key players, made it crystal clear in his pre‑match press conference that the England international will not be prised away from Selhurst Park in this window, despite strong links with Manchester United.
“We sold big players and now I think it's not the moment to do that. 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,” Sage said, shutting down any prospect of late drama around the midfielder.
United will have to look elsewhere. And they are.
United’s left‑back puzzle
With Carlos Baleba close to arriving from Brighton, United’s gaze has shifted to the left side of defence.
The club have made contact with the representatives of Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde as they search for a new option in that position before the transfer window closes. The response has been blunt: Balde is happy at Barça. Any deal would be a major challenge.
That leaves Michael Carrick with a thin hand at left-back. Patrick Dorgu is viewed as an option higher up the pitch, while youngster Harry Amass is expected to leave. Strip it back and Carrick effectively has just Luke Shaw for the role.
Shaw, now 31, has a long history of injury problems, even if he did get through last season unscathed. United know they are taking a risk if they go into a full campaign with no serious cover.
Baleba deal edges closer
United’s midfield rebuild is gathering speed.
They have already brought in Karl Darlow, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, and are now closing in on Baleba. A bid in the region of £60m plus £5m in add‑ons has been lodged with Brighton as the club look to finally land a player they first asked about last summer.
Carrick has been open about his demands. Speaking before this weekend’s trip to Hull City, he underlined that United are still pushing hard in the market.
“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.”
Baleba, who is understood to be keen on the move, would join Santos and Tielemans as the latest additions to a reshaped midfield, following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious injury at the World Cup.
Salinas, Raum and the search for depth
The left-back search is becoming a multi‑track operation.
Infobae report that United have now formally entered the race for Racing Santander teenager Jorge Salinas, a player they have been linked with repeatedly. Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also interested in the 19‑year‑old, who has a reported £13.7m release clause in his current deal. The exact terms of United’s offer are not detailed, but the club are said to have “burst into negotiations”.
On top of that, GIVEMESPORT claim United have been offered the chance to sign RB Leipzig defender David Raum. The Germany international is in the final year of his contract, and Leipzig could choose to cash in rather than lose him for nothing.
Salinas has also reportedly been offered, underlining how aggressively United are being pitched left-back solutions. For now, none of those options has crossed the line.
United have also made an approach to Barcelona for Balde, only to be told again that the 20‑year‑old is content at Camp Nou. Elsewhere, interest in Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis‑Skelly has gone nowhere.
With Shaw into the final year of his contract, the need for a long‑term answer in that role is only growing louder.
Rashford’s future and a frantic finish
While the recruitment team juggle multiple deals, Carrick is also managing an awkward situation closer to home.
Marcus Rashford has returned from a season‑long loan at Barcelona and has trained “fantastically well”, according to his manager. Asked whether the forward had expressed a desire to stay beyond the deadline, Carrick chose instead to praise his application on the training ground.
United remain open to offers for the 28‑year‑old as the window enters its final stretch, but the mood around Carrick’s camp suggests it is increasingly likely Rashford will be reintegrated into the squad for the new campaign.
All of this plays out against the backdrop of the Premier League curtain‑raiser. The season starts today, with champions Arsenal hosting newly‑promoted Coventry City, before United face their own test away to another newcomer, Hull City, in Saturday’s early kick‑off.
The market is still moving, the squad is still taking shape, and Carrick wants more. With the clock ticking, do United find the left‑back and midfield balance they crave, or head into the season still one piece short?
