That it took a scrappy 93rd minute Jack Grealish goal to end Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten run is testament to the Eagles.
They held out for as long as they could to write their name into the history books. Palace have earned plenty of praise in recent months, and it’s all thoroughly deserved. Oliver Glasner has worked wonders having taken over at Selhurst Park last February, with the FA Cup triumph the peak.
In this article, we’ll cover:
The Austrian’s arrival proved a real turning point in Palace’s trajectory. Some might say it was Glasner’s appointment that saw the Eagles take flight. However, two-and-a-half weeks before Glasner replaced Roy Hodgson, they pulled off a huge coup in the transfer market.
Palace are no stranger to plucking the next brightest EFL star. Eberechi Eze joined from QPR in 2020, while Michael Olise signed from Reading the following year. Both now ply their trade for Champions League pair Arsenal and Bayern, respectively, having honed their talent in south London. And Palace repeated the feat with Adam Wharton last year.
Interest high in Wharton
At the time, Wharton was courted by a number of heavyweight sides. Chelsea were known admirers back in 2024, while Bayern weighed up a summer move for the 21-year-old. Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid are reportedly keen on the former Rovers man.
Palace have successfully fended off elite interest in their prized asset but the resolve will break eventually. The once-capped English midfielder, after all, is widely regarded as one of the finest ball progressors on the continent. It’s only a matter of time before he’s playing alongside and against football’s greatest.
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So what makes Wharton such a special player? Nominally it’s what he does with the ball. He’s a midfielder whose playing style is more Spanish than it is English. He’s happy to receive a pass from his centre-backs before turning and aiming to set his side on the frontfoot. It doesn’t always pay off – Wharton boasts a pass accuracy of 81.15% – but he isn’t on the pitch to play the safe passes.
Palace play in such a system that they need their central midfielders to take more risks. Midfield-teammate Will Hughes is the ‘safer’ of the two with a pass accuracy of 83.33% but they look to the pair to play the balls over the top or into channels. Palace’s possession average of 41.3% is the third lowest in the division. Glasner’s side invite pressure from opponents before playing their way out of danger.
High risk, high reward
And once Wharton does get on the ball, he more often than not gets his head up to help set Palace forward. Beyond the goalkeeper and defenders, Wharton is the player with the most attempted long balls per 90 minutes (4.2) for the Eagles. It doesn’t always pay off – he has a long ball accuracy of 38.1% – yet it’s this forward-thinking mentality that potential suitors find appealing.
Adam Wharton is the only player to create 5 big chances in the Premier League this season. ?
No Crystal Palace player has won more possessions in the middle third (15) or completed more take-ons (6) than the midfielder.
The Wilpshire Pirlo™ pic.twitter.com/aURGagkpHY
— Squawka (@Squawka) October 13, 2025
That’s because when his progressive balls hit their mark, opponents will know about it. High risk, high reward. Indeed, Wharton ranks top for chances created (11) of all Palace players in the Premier League this season. Only Jeremy Doku (4) has made more accurate through balls than the youngster (3). Wharton is the player to have created the most big chances (5) in the division. It’s no wonder they – we – call him ‘The Wilpshire Pirlo’.
Crucially too is that when he does look to get the better of a marker, he is more often than not successful. Wharton has completed more take ons (6) than any other Palace player in the Premier League this season. He boasts a 100% take on success rate in the process. Meanwhile, he’s only been tackled once across his six league outings to date. For a player who receives the ball in his position and is willing to take so few touches to turn defence in attack, that’s a fine return.
Forget weaknesses, play to strengths
Off the ball, however, there are some minor concerns. Yes, he ranks top for possession won in the midfield third (15) of Palace players in the 2025-26 Premier League season. However, he’s been dribbled past more times (9) than he has made tackles (6) and a 40% success rate doesn’t make for great reading.
That said, when playing in a midfield two in a system that sits deep, this isn’t exactly the end of the world. Wharton can rest assured there are three top quality centre-backs in support to win possession should he be bypassed. Wing-backs Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell are also handy ball winners.
What this means is that Wharton can focus his efforts on doing what he is paid to do. Wharton’s best work comes with the ball at his feet, where he can spread the play or pry apart defences. It’s this quality in possession that means he remains a player destined for the very top.