Manchester United target Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton in £85m move as Kim Min-jae joins wishlist

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is eyeing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton as a priority transfer target, with the 22-year-old England international valued at £85m by his club. Reports also link United with a long-term interest in Bayern Munich and South Korea defender Kim Min-jae as the club looks to strengthen ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Wharton has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most sought-after midfielders in recent months, but Palace hold a strong hand — his contract runs until 2029, giving them little pressure to sell. United have been relatively subdued in the window after an active start to the summer that saw Andrey Santos, Karl Darlow, and Youri Tielemans arrive for a combined £85m. Departures included Casemiro, who joined Inter Miami on a free, and Rasmus Hojlund, whose loan at Napoli was made permanent.

Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has publicly urged the club to act on their interest in Wharton. “I can’t believe they’re not trying to buy Adam Wharton,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. “Sandro Tonali would have been my first choice but with him gone now, Adam Wharton looks perfect to me.”

On the defensive front, reports from Germany claim Carrick has added Kim Min-jae to a transfer shortlist before the window closes. United’s interest in a new centre-back is driven by injury concerns surrounding Leny Yoro and Lisandro Martinez, as well as questions over Harry Maguire’s long-term future at the club. Kim had been heavily linked with Chelsea earlier in the window before they signed Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m.

United also completed the sale of Radek Vitek to Middlesbrough for £7m, while goalkeeper Altay Bayindir departed on loan to Celta Vigo, further trimming the squad as Carrick shapes his roster for the season ahead.