Crystal Palace are moving like a club with intent in the January transfer window as they attempt to bolster their playing squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.
A new striker is being targeted, while Daniel Munoz is reportedly on his way to replace Nathaniel Clyne at right back from Genk for a fee of £8.5m.
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 as per The Guardian.
Therefore, the Premier League side has little time remaining to decide whether they want to progress with the move.
Journalist Ed Aarons now claims that the club remain in talks with the Championship side over a possible deal for the impressive youngster, despite their initial rejection, as they work on a swoop for the gem.
However, the reporter does not state whether or not they are prepared to go in with a higher offer for the second division starlet's services before the deadline.
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ByLuke RandallFeb 1, 2024 How Wharton can take Eze to a whole new level
Eberechi Eze is one of the most entertaining players in the Premier League. Since moving to Palace in 2020 for £19.5m from QPR, he has developed into his side's most dangerous asset, registering 32 goal contributions in 112 games.
Last season was his most successful in an Eagles shirt, as he netted ten goals and produced four assists in 30 starts, but this season he has been fielded slightly deeper in the midfield of a 4-3-3, which has impacted his output in the final third.
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.
Tackles
2.76
Top 11%
Dribblers challenged
3.04
Top 5%
Interceptions
1.47
Top 19%
Ball recoveries
6.58
Top 21%
Passes completed
47.51
Top 24%
Progressive passes
6.48
Top 20%
The 19-year-old midfielder has played 26 games for the Rovers this season, taking on the role of the left-sided midfielder in a 4-2-3-1. Wharton's biggest strength is his ability to win the ball back for his side, as shown by the defensive stats above, therefore relieving Eze of some defensive duties.
Despite being relatively inexperienced, he has been labelled "complete" by talent Scout Jacek Kulig, as the young ace is extremely comfortable on the ball and can progress play with ease, in turn allowing Hodgson's 25-year-old to get on the ball more frequently 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.
Overall, Palace would be signing a gem who could lockdown their midfield for years to come, and the fact that he would unleash Eze's creativity is just a huge added bonus.