Chelsea planning to land knockout blow to Amorim’s hopes of landing maestro who has “got the world at his feet” – report

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After a dismal 2024/25 season, Manchester United needed midfield reinforcements to spark a turnaround in their fortunes.

However, INEOS focused on strengthening the attack, and despite Ruben Amorim demanding Carlos Baleba’s signing, a move never materialised due to the costs involved.

As a result, the Red Devils have continued to struggle, winning one out of five games this campaign, with ex-players pointing to the imbalance in midfield as a major reason for the ever-increasing number of losses.

It is clear that Bruno Fernandes is being misutilised, while Manuel Ugarte keeps struggling, and the head coach inexplicably keeps omitting Kobbie Mainoo from the starting lineup.

Midfielder needed urgently

INEOS have plans of rectifying this in the winter, with The Peoples Person even relaying the club’s wish to break the transfer record to land Baleba.

But finding the funds might be difficult, which makes Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace a more viable target. Liverpool’s presence in the race complicates things further.

And now, Teamtalk have revealed that Chelsea are set to go all out to land the Englishman in January as Enzo Maresca seeks further midfield cover.

“Chelsea are intensifying their pursuit of Crystal Palace’s talented midfielder Adam Wharton as they look to bolster their midfield in the January transfer window, TEAMtalk understands.

Adam Wharton race on

“The move comes as the Blues seek to address ongoing injury concerns surrounding their highly-rated star, Romeo Lavia, and add depth to their engine room under manager Enzo Maresca.

“Sources indicate that Chelsea view Wharton as a long-term investment, with a potential move initially targeted for the summer of 2026.

“However, a January swoop is not being ruled out, as the Blues aim to act swiftly to secure a dominant midfielder capable of sharing the load with their current options.”

Whether INEOS can afford to enter a bidding war with the Blues for a midfielder “who has the world at his feet” remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear, a midfielder is of paramount importance.

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