Roy Hodgson’s new hire this month might let Eze’s creative juices flow.
Crystal Palace is trying to boost its playing roster in advance of the second half of the season, and they are acting like a club with intent during the January transfer window.
A new striker is being sought for, while Daniel Munoz, who will reportedly cost £8.5 million, is en route from Genk to take Nathaniel Clyne’s place at right back.
However, Roy Hodgson is also keen to improve in the middle of the park, with a midfielder on his shortlist.
Crystal Palace are looking to add a new midfielder to the squad
According to David Ornstein, the Eagles have had an £18.5m bid rejected for Adam Wharton.
However, Palace must significantly increase their offer if they are to acquire his services, with Blackburn Rovers wanting £25m.
Consequently, the Premier League team doesn’t have much time left to choose whether to proceed with the transfer.
Despite their initial refusal, journalist Ed Aarons now says that the club is still in negotiations with the Championship team about a potential deal for the talented young player as they attempt to make a move for the jewel.
The reporter doesn’t say, though, if they are ready to make a better offer before the deadline for the second division starlet’s services.
How Wharton can raise the bar for Eze
One of the Premier League’s most entertaining players is Eberechi Eze. He became his team’s most dangerous asset after joining Palace in 2020 for £19.5 million from QPR, with 32 goals in 112 games.
His best season wearing an Eagles uniform was the previous one, when he scored ten goals and provided four assists in 30 starts. However, this season, he has been used a little deeper in the midfield in a 4-3-3, which has reduced his effectiveness in the closing third of the game.
However, that may not be the case for the remainder of the season, with the potential arrival of Wharton enabling Eze’s creativity and skillful traits to flourish. The table below shows a handful of statistics from the 2023/24 Championship campaign that support this.
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This season, the 19-year-old midfielder has made 26 appearances for the Rovers, filling in as the left-sided midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The defensive metrics above demonstrate Wharton’s greatest strength, which is his ability to win the ball back for his team and relieve Eze of some defensive responsibilities.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig has called the young ace, who is very at ease with the ball and can move play along with ease, “complete” despite his relative inexperience. This allows Hodgson’s 25-year-old to get on the ball more often in positions where he can hurt the opposition.
Wharton could play in the double pivot at Palace as he does for his current club, pushing Eze into a number-ten role where he thrives, as shown by the fact he ranks first in the squad for shots, key passes, and successful dribbles.
He can also feature on the left of a midfield three, meaning that Palace’s number ten could feature at left wing, where he can change a game with his ability on the ball, as per his former teammate Geoff Cameron.
