Chelsea are ready to battle Crystal Palace in the race to sign Blackburn youngster Adam Wharton.
The 19-year-old is considered one of the hottest prospects in the Championship and he’s widely expected to make the step up to the Premier League sooner rather than later.
Rovers are reported to have rejected an £18.5m bid from Palace for Wharton last week with the Championship side holding out for £25m for the teenager.
Wharton put pen to paper on a five-year deal at Ewood Park last month, so Rovers are under no pressure to sell their prized asset this month.
Nevertheless, potential suitors are unlikely to be deterred by Wharton’s decision to extend his stay with Blackburn.
However, Wharton is said to prefer a move that would see him earn regular game time rather than be loaned out for a season for minutes.
Wharton caught the eye against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup back in November, while Blues sporting director Paul Winstanley has been to watch the midfielder in action recently.
