Newcastle United are interested in a deal to bring Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton to the Premier League, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
Who is Adam Wharton?
Eddie Howe is reportedly on the lookout for central reinforcements this summer and has already been linked with the likes of Manchester United’s Scott McTominay and Leicester City’s James Maddison, but the 18-year-old is a new, less high-profile name to have emerged.
The Lancashire outfit’s starlet is one of the club’s academy graduates having worked his way up through the ranks to become a regular feature of the first-team at Ewood Park, breaking into Jon Dahl Tomasson’s senior fold in July 2022, as per Transfermarkt.
During his debut season, the £962-per-week teenager has made 19 appearances to date and his impressive form has seen him receive an international call-up to England’s U19s, and this hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hierarchy at St. James’ Park.
According to Nixon (via Football League World), Newcastle, alongside top-flight rivals Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, are all “interested” in completing a deal for Wharton ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth “watched” his target in action just last week, and it’s stated that PIF are “seriously considering” the possibility of an approach. The Rovers ace only signed a new deal last year, but it’s currently “unclear” whether he will still be at the club beyond the upcoming window as a result of the building interest from the Premier League.
Would Wharton be a good signing for Newcastle?
Newcastle will be aware that Wharton hasn’t got much experience playing at the highest level but the encouraging signs he’s shown have seen him hailed a “brilliant young prospect” by journalist Josh Bunting, so he would be an extremely exciting signing for the long-term future of the club.
The left-footed midfielder has posted 13 goal contributions (nine assists and four goals) in 66 appearances throughout his career, including six in 25 across all competitions this season, and is averaging 3.66 shot-creating actions per game, which is higher than any other of his teammates in the Championship.
The OmniSports client is also strong in the defensive aspect of his game, ranking in the 93rd percentile for tackles, having won 18 from 27 players challenged this term, via FBRef, so for someone who has this ability to positively impact the game at both ends of the pitch, Wharton would be a promising recruit for the Magpies.