John Obi Mikel Predicts Adam Wharton Move to Manchester United

John Obi Mikel is convinced Adam Wharton is destined for Manchester United. The club, though, appear to be walking a very different path.

The former Chelsea midfielder used his podcast to lavish praise on the Crystal Palace talent, predicting a move to Old Trafford in 2025 for the 22-year-old, who is currently valued at around £60 million.

“I love him! I love Adam Wharton, I'm a big, big fan,” Obi Mikel said. “I think he's going to go places, though, I think next season he will leave Crystal Palace. I think they want to keep him for one more season. I see him going to Manchester United next season.”

Wharton stayed put at Selhurst Park during the recent window despite strong interest from across the Premier League. United were among the clubs tracking him earlier in the summer but stopped short of making a formal offer.

INEOS chose a different route. Rather than building around Wharton, they handed Michael Carrick three new midfielders: Andrey Santos, Carlos Baleba and Youri Tielemans, for a combined upfront outlay of £148 million. Carrick’s engine room has been ripped up and rebuilt without the Palace youngster at its core.

That shift in strategy matters. For all Obi Mikel’s enthusiasm, Wharton is no longer viewed as a concrete target in M16. The money has already gone into the middle of the pitch; the next phase of the project lies elsewhere.

United’s hierarchy are expected to pivot towards the defence in the coming windows after choosing not to add a single defender to Carrick’s squad over the summer. It was a bold call. Some would say reckless. One serious injury in the backline and the entire season could tilt, especially with Champions League football back on the calendar.

The long-term plan is already taking shape. As things stand, United’s priority signing for 2027 is believed to be Lewis Hall, earmarked as the ideal successor to Luke Shaw. The 31-year-old left-back is into the final nine months of his contract at Old Trafford, and the club see Hall as the player to eventually take that flank into the next era.

So while Obi Mikel pictures Wharton in red, the reality at United is stark: the midfield chequebook is closed for now, the defensive rebuild is waiting its turn, and any dream of the Palace starlet strolling out at Old Trafford may depend on the club ripping up a plan they’ve only just put in place.