John Obi Mikel expects Manchester United to pursue Adam Wharton next year

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel predicts Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton will join Manchester United next year. Despite transfer speculation during the recent window, the 22-year-old remained at Crystal Palace. Manchester United chose to bolster the midfield under manager Michael Carrick by signing Andrey Santos, Carlos Baleba, and Youri Tielemans for a combined £148 million. Reports indicate that Manchester United is unlikely to prioritize another central midfielder in future windows. Instead, the club is expected to shift focus toward defensive reinforcements as part of long-term planning. Current recruitment strategy identifies Lewis Hall as a primary target to provide future competition for Luke Shaw, who enters the final nine months of his contract at Old Trafford. With Champions League fixtures included in the current schedule, squad depth remains a focal point for the organization.

• 6:05 AMYahoo Sports — Not Hall: Chelsea legend thinks £60m-rated Premier League whiz will join Man Utd next year