{"id":1404002,"date":"2025-10-13T16:01:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1404002"},"modified":"2025-10-13T16:53:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:53:03","slug":"tactical-analysis-adam-wharton","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/","title":{"rendered":"Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>That it took a scrappy 93rd minute Jack Grealish goal to end <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/outright-markets\/crystal-palace-outright-odds-25-26\/\">Crystal Palace\u2019s<\/a> 19-game unbeaten run is testament to the Eagles.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019s all thoroughly deserved. Oliver Glasner has worked wonders having taken over at Selhurst Park last February, with the FA Cup triumph the peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-interest-high-in-wharton\" data-level=\"3\">Interest high in Wharton<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-high-risk-high-reward\" data-level=\"3\">High risk, high reward<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-forget-weaknesses-play-to-strengths\" data-level=\"3\">Forget weaknesses, play to strengths<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Austrian\u2019s arrival proved a real turning point in Palace\u2019s trajectory. Some might say it was Glasner\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-interest-high-in-wharton\">Interest high in Wharton<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019s only a matter of time before he\u2019s playing alongside and against football&#8217;s greatest.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"article-page__title\">Dabble sign-up offer: <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Not signed up to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/dabble-sign-up-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dabble<\/a> yet? Here's how to claim the <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b> welcome offer:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Sign up to Dabble through this <a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\">link<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Register your account with accurate personal details<\/li>\r\n<li>Place your first bet of \u00a310 or more<\/li>\r\n<li>Receive your \u00a310 in free bets when your qualifying bet has setted<\/li>\r\n<li>Use your Free Bet on any eligible sportsbook market within 7 days<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1423518 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-320x267.png 320w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-240x200.png 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-72x60.png 72w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-150x125.png 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-40x33.png 40w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822.png 712w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>#AD 18+ 7-day free bet expiry. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply.\u00a0<a class=\"c-link\" href=\"http:\/\/gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"http:\/\/GambleAware.org\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">GambleAware.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what makes Wharton such a special player? Nominally it\u2019s what he does with the ball. He\u2019s a midfielder whose playing style is more Spanish than it is English. He\u2019s happy to receive a pass from his centre-backs before turning and aiming to set his side on the frontfoot. It doesn\u2019t always pay off &#8211; Wharton boasts a pass accuracy of 81.15% &#8211; but he isn\u2019t on the pitch to play the safe passes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Palace play in such a system that they need their central midfielders to take more risks. Midfield-teammate Will Hughes is the \u2018safer\u2019 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\u2019s possession average of 41.3% is the third lowest in the division. Glasner\u2019s side invite pressure from opponents before playing their way out of danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-high-risk-high-reward\">High risk, high reward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019t always pay off &#8211; he has a long ball accuracy of 38.1% &#8211; yet it\u2019s this forward-thinking mentality that potential suitors find appealing.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Adam Wharton is the only player to create 5 big chances in the Premier League this season. ?<\/p>\n<p>No Crystal Palace player has won more possessions in the middle third (15) or completed more take-ons (6) than the midfielder.<\/p>\n<p>The Wilpshire Pirlo\u2122 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aURGagkpHY\">pic.twitter.com\/aURGagkpHY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Squawka (@Squawka) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Squawka\/status\/1977669381720346666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s 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\u2019s no wonder they &#8211; <em>we<\/em> &#8211; call him \u2018The Wilpshire Pirlo\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019s 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\u2019s a fine return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-forget-weaknesses-play-to-strengths\">Forget weaknesses, play to strengths<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Off the ball, however, there are <em>some<\/em> 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\u2019s been dribbled past more times (9) than he has made tackles (6) and a 40% success rate doesn\u2019t make for great reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, when playing in a midfield two in a system that sits deep, this isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What this means is that Wharton can focus his efforts on doing what he is paid to do. Wharton\u2019s best work comes with the ball at his feet, where he can spread the play or pry apart defences. It\u2019s this quality in possession that means he remains a player destined for the very top.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>That it took a scrappy 93rd minute Jack Grealish goal to end Crystal Palace\u2019s 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\u2019s all thoroughly deserved. Oliver Glasner&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3564,"featured_media":1404004,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Adam Wharton is turning heads at Crystal Palace with his progressive play and composure on the ball. We break down why the 21-year-old is one of England\u2019s most exciting midfield prospects.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"class_list":["post-1404002","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Adam Wharton is turning heads at Crystal Palace with his progressive play and composure on the ball. We break down why the 21-year-old is one of England\u2019s most exciting midfield prospects.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Adam Wharton is turning heads at Crystal Palace with his progressive play and composure on the ball. We break down why the 21-year-old is one of England\u2019s most exciting midfield prospects.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-13T15:53:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/10\/13155018\/3CFR8JC-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@squawka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ben McAleer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4\"},\"headline\":\"Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-13T15:01:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-13T15:53:03+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\"},\"wordCount\":915,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/10\/13155018\/3CFR8JC-scaled.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/\",\"name\":\"Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder | Squawka | EN\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/10\/13155018\/3CFR8JC-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-13T15:01:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-13T15:53:03+00:00\",\"description\":\"Adam Wharton is turning heads at Crystal Palace with his progressive play and composure on the ball. 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Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park in London, England (Photo by Alexander Canillas\/Sports Press Photo\/SPP) Credit: SPP Sport Press Photo. \/Alamy Live News\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-adam-wharton\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Squawka\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Features\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Adam Wharton analysis: Crystal Palace\u2019s rising star redefining the modern English midfielder\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Squawka | EN\",\"description\":\"Football News, Stats, and More...\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4\",\"name\":\"Ben McAleer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ben McAleer\"},\"description\":\"Ben has over 15 years\u2019 worth of experience in the world of football writing and has previously featured on The Guardian, The Independent, Sky Sports, The Irish Examiner, talksport, and more. 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