Crystal Palace Blocks Adam Wharton Move as Manchester United Seeks Left-Back

Pierre Sage has drawn a firm line in the sand over Adam Wharton’s future – and Manchester United are on the other side of it.

The new Crystal Palace manager made it clear the England international will not be leaving Selhurst Park this summer, despite sustained interest from Old Trafford. United have tracked Wharton for months, but after a string of high-profile departures, Palace are refusing to cash in again.

“We sold big players and now I think it's not the moment to do that,” Sage said before Palace’s return to Premier League action this weekend. “Adam can play at a big club but I think one year with us, one year with a new dynamic, will be good for him and we need him.”

United will have to look elsewhere. And they already are.

United’s left-back puzzle

With the Carlos Baleba deal edging towards completion, United’s recruitment team have switched their attention to a problem position: left-back.

Contact has been made with the representatives of Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde, who fits the profile of the attacking full-back United want. The response from Spain has been blunt. Balde is happy at Barça and not pushing for a move.

That leaves Michael Carrick light on options. Patrick Dorgu is being considered for a more advanced role, while highly rated youngster Harry Amass is expected to leave. Strip it all back and Carrick is left with just Luke Shaw as a natural senior left-back.

Shaw, now 31, has a long injury history but managed to stay fit throughout last season. United know that is a fragile safety net to rely on for an entire campaign.

So the search widens.

Salinas, Raum and a crowded shortlist

In Spain, Infobae report that United have finally stepped into the race for Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas. The 19-year-old left-back has attracted attention from Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, with a £13.7m release clause written into his contract.

The exact structure of United’s offer is not detailed, but the club are said to have “burst into negotiations” as they test Santander’s resolve.

On another front, GIVEMESPORT claim United have been offered RB Leipzig’s David Raum. The Germany international is into the final year of his contract, and Leipzig may look to cash in now rather than lose him for nothing.

Salinas has also reportedly been offered, underlining how aggressively agents and clubs are pushing left-backs towards Old Trafford in the final stretch of the window.

United have also sounded out Barcelona over Balde, only to be told again that the defender is content at the Nou Camp. Interest in Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly has gone nowhere. The need for a solution has not.

Baleba deal closes in as midfield reshaped

While the left-back chase gathers noise, the Baleba deal is edging towards the finish line.

United have already brought in Karl Darlow, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans this summer. They knew that wasn’t enough. Carrick said as much earlier in the window, urging the club to keep pushing.

A bid of around £60m, plus £5m in add-ons, has now gone in to Brighton for Baleba, with an agreement understood to be close. The Cameroonian has wanted the move since United’s initial enquiries last summer.

He will join Santos and Tielemans in a rebuilt midfield at Old Trafford, a response to Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious injury at the World Cup. It is a clear break from the old guard and a bet on energy, legs and resale value.

Carrick likes what he sees, but he wants more.

“I just think we're looking to strengthen the squad,” he said before United’s Premier League opener against Hull City. “We're certainly working towards that, making the most of the situation that we have and trying to improve things and trying to move forward.

“We’re certainly trying to make the most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. And I think we're a good way to doing that, so far.”

Rashford back, but not nailed down

Marcus Rashford is back in the building. Whether he is back for good is still to be decided.

After a season-long loan at Barcelona, the 28-year-old has rejoined United’s squad and drawn praise from Carrick for his attitude behind the scenes.

Asked if Rashford had made clear he wanted to stay, Carrick instead pointed to his work on the training pitch, describing him as having trained “fantastically well”.

United remain open to offers for Rashford as the window enters its decisive phase, yet the mood around Carrington has shifted. It is now increasingly likely he will be reintegrated into the squad for the new campaign if no suitable bid lands on the table.

A sale would help fund defensive reinforcements. Keeping him would give Carrick another proven forward option in a season packed with fixtures. The clock will decide which way that balance tips.

Season starts, window still wide open

The Premier League curtain goes up today with champions Arsenal at home to newly-promoted Coventry City. United are next into the spotlight, away at another promoted side, Hull City, in Saturday’s early kick-off.

On the pitch, Carrick will lean on Shaw at left-back and wait for Baleba to arrive. Off it, the recruitment team will keep working through their list: Balde, Salinas, Raum and any late names that emerge.

Palace have slammed the door on Wharton. The window is still wide open everywhere else.