Blackburn transfer revelation could hand Newcastle United hope of sealing wonderkid deal.

The Magpies have been linked with a move for a Rovers midfielder

One Championship player who proved to be the subject of much speculation during the summer transfer window, was Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Ewood Park club during the 2022/23 season, emerging as an important player in their push for a place in the play-offs, that ultimately fell just short.

Given the quality and potential he showed at such an early stage of his career, it was little surprise to see the names of numerous Premier League clubs placed alongside Wharton’s, while the window was open.

Ultimately though, no move for Wharton would materialise before the deadline in early September, and the teenager has remained a regular starter for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side in the early stages of the current campaign.

However, with attention already starting to turn towards the January transfer window, it seems the battle for the Blackburn man’s signature, could soon be set to ignite again.

Who could look to sign Adam Wharton from Blackburn in January?

According to recent reports from journalist Alan Nixon, Premier League side Newcastle United are preparing to make a fresh bid for the Rovers midfielder in January.

That comes after the Magpies were thought to have made a move for Wharton in the summer, only for the teenager to be reluctant to be placed in their Under 21s setup.

However, there is now a suggestion that he could get a chance in Eddie Howe’s senior side, should he make the move to St James’ Park at the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, other English top-flight sides such as Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton, are expected to make a push to sign Wharton when the market reopens.

Ordinarily, the fact that the teenager only signed a new contract with Blackburn that secures his future at Ewood Park until the end of the 2026/27 season during the early stages of the previous campaign, could make life difficult for those interested clubs in their pursuit of Wharton.

However, there is an argument that comments made by Blackburn’s Director of Football Gregg Broughton following the end of the transfer window, may give the likes of Newcastle hope that they can negotiate that issue come January.

How could Blackburn’s transfer situation could Newcastle and co. in their pursuit of Wharton?

Despite a seemingly clear need for reinforcements during the summer window, there is now an argument Rovers are shorter on depth in their first-team squad this season, than they were in the previous campaign.

While ten senior options left the club in the summer, either permanently, on loan or following the end of their own loan spells at Ewood Park, the club were only able to add seven new faces to Tomasson’s squad before the window closed.

As a result, with injuries already taking their toll for Rovers this season, there is an argument that the club will need to strengthen further in January.

However, things could have been somewhat less pressing for the club, had deadline day events played out differently.

Speaking last month, Broughton revealed that Blackburn had been set to complete the loan signing of a right-winger from the Bundesliga on the final day of the window, only for finances to scupper a deal.

The fact that Blackburn were unable to afford to get even a loan signing over the line, suggests they may need to sell before they can afford to make any signings in January, which could play into the hands of those looking to secure a deal for Wharton.

Indeed, Rovers showed they were willing to reinvest funds they receive for players in the summer, best highlighted by the signing of goalkeeper Leo Wahlstedt for an undisclosed fee, following the sale of their previous number one, Thomas Kaminski, to Luton for a reported £2.5million.

Given they are apparently looking for much more than that for Wharton, with a rumoured price tag of £20million, a sale of the midfielder for that sort of price could allow the Ewood Park club to invest and strengthen the options available to Tomasson, in a much more significant way.

That could therefore make the prospect of a sale somewhat more appealing for Blackburn, and thus give the likes of Newcastle further incentive to make their move in January.

With all that in mind, it seems as though Newcastle and co. do have reasons to be confident about making a move to prise one of Blackburn’s key assets from Ewood Park in January, thanks to the way things played out for Rovers themselves in the transfer market, just a few months ago.