Managing Crystal Palace – Wharton pens Man Utd deal as Guehi denied Liverpool move again

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Oliver Glasner is leading the charge in an unprecedented era of Crystal Palace success in the modern era. But the Austrian's work is far from complete as he aims to build on last season's FA Cup triumph and a dream return to European football.

The steps Palace take in the coming months could well play an instrumental role in shaping the club's future for years to come. And not all of them will be easy, particularly if that includes parting ways with players who have become so beloved by the club's fanbase.

One of those names who could be made available is Adam Wharton, who is in demand amid talk of interest from Manchester United . Mirror Football examines how selling the England midfielder could be one building block in a greater pathway to prosperity at Palace.

There isn't a soul at Selhurst Park who will like the idea of selling an asset as valuable as Manchester United target Wharton. Signed from Blackburn in February 2024 for a fairly modest £18million fee, the 21-year-old has quickly acclimated to the Premier League standard and become a beacon in Glasner's XI.

But Palace remain among that middle rung of Premier League teams who still need to sell when big offers present themselves in order to thrive as an organisation. Just as Brighton's model has proved, there is scope to lose such an asset in the short term and use those funds to better the club long term, though it helps to have ready-made replacements waiting in the wings.

The examples of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have shown there is life to be had after such losses. Glasner lost his battle to keep Eze out of Arsenal's clutches this summer, but replacement Yeremy Pino is already writing his own storied success in south London.

Palace has an obvious candidate as to whom might succeed Wharton should he leave. Northern Ireland international Justin Devenny has shown he has the makings of a midfield star, while the recruitment team will have their own ideas as to which signings might be able to fulfil the same duties.

There's already talk of Wharton fetching at least three times his transfer fee, and that's before negotiations for a sale are even underway. Given his age and the fact his contract doesn't expire until 2029, there's plenty cause for optimism any final fee would be significantly more.

Palace chairman Steve Parish has already made a somewhat ominous nod to Wharton's aspirations of playing Champions League football . And it's a good thing his potential has crystallised so early on after his move, giving the Eagles plenty of time to plot their move before his contract becomes even a slight concern.

The fact remains, however, that it will likely only be a matter of time before Palace have to consider a high-profile sale. And given it looks simpler to replace Wharton in midfield than certain other players in key positions, cutting the cord sooner than later looks the smartest option.

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Two of those aforementioned stars in key positions who wouldn't be so easy to replace are Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta. Palace have struck gold with this duo in particular, not just due to their skill sets but also in terms of character and relationships with the fans.

In the event Wharton was sold, it would hopefully open up the funds necessary to reward two of the players so vital to success at Selhurst Park. It's common knowledge Guehi's current deal expires next summer, while Mateta's contract - which was signed in December 2024 - is due to run out in 2027.

It's not often a club like Palace stumbles upon a defender-striker spine so potent as this and it should be a top priority that they remain for at least another couple of seasons. Or in Guehi's case, to at least secure a more substantial fee if it simply becomes untenable to keep him any longer.

Guehi proved himself to be the model professional in the summer after captaining the club to FA Cup glory and a maiden major title. The England centre-back trained and played as normal while talk of a move to Liverpool persisted until deadline day when a last-gasp move to Anfield fell through .

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It's treated as something of a foregone conclusion he will end up moving to one of the European elite in 2026. That could be in January when he's free to discuss a transfer with any suitors, or in the summer when he'll be out of contract.

Rather than accept that fate, Guehi is one player who should motivate Palace to break policy and offer the competitive wages needed to convince their captain to stay. Having already made history as skipper, the 25-year-old could still go on to forge the making of a new dynasty, rather than allow that FA Cup win to become an anomaly.

The argument to reward Mateta so handsomely isn't as strong given he'll turn 29 next June, yet trends are there to be broken. Having just made his debut for France, Mateta has reached his pomp late after scoring 36 Premier League goals across the last two seasons, the kind of numbers that can't be taken for granted.

Tying down the duo to more lucrative deals would act as a statement of intent that Palace isn't content with the usual 'selling club' model. And in turn, that should help the club in further enhancing its rising reputation as a destination of interest for big talents.

Heartless as it might sound, sacrifices may have to be made in Palace's debut campaign in Europe. The sentimental will dream of continental silverware at the first time of asking, but that shouldn't be the goal if it leads to a higher risk of stagnation in years to come.

In that pursuit, the focus should still remain on qualifying for one of Europe's higher-tier competitions through their league placement. The Eagles should have been playing in the Europa League this season before the ownership controversy relegated them to the Conference League , and the response should be a calculated reluctance to fully commit to the competition.

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Palace sat sixth in the Premier League heading into the international break and were the first team to break Liverpool's perfect start this season. That result signified just what this team is capable of against England's elite, albeit such results inevitably will become more difficult as the campaign progresses.

Things have started well in Europe after a 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv but complications are certain to arise as the weeks progress. And in those events where Glasner faces a choice between risking certain key assets or rotating his team for Europe, he should opt for the latter.

It was barely two years ago that West Ham won the Conference League themselves and appeared to be in the midst of a revival. Fast-forward to today and already much of the good will built up by that historic title win has been lost, showing how quickly things can change for a club batting above its average without the right structures in place.

Therefore, it would be in Palace's best interests to keep their focus on domestic matters and treat the Conference League as a bonus (though a very appealing one). Ungrateful as that might sound right now, it's only because of the faith that there are even greater honours to fight for in the not-too-distant future if the club plays its cards right.

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