Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said he would not be surprised if Manchester United stepped up their efforts to sign Adam Wharton.

Wharton has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders since his move from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024.

The Englishman played a vital role as the Eagles won the FA Cup last season, and has started all 10 Palace games he has been available for this campaign.

Such performances have seen Wharton attract interest from a host of top clubs, with United, Liverpool and Real Madrid among the clubs plotting a move.

With Wharton under contract until 2029, Palace could demand a sizeable fee to let go of their prized asset.

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And while confident that Wharton is still happy at Palace, co-owner Parish suspects the 21-year-old will have ambitions to play in the Champions League in the not-so-distant future.

‘I think Adam at some point will want to...