Andy Brassell believes Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton ‘wouldn’t look out of place’ at Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
The 22-year-old is expected to be a hot commodity this summer, even though he was not included in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup.
Despite the snub, Wharton did not let it distract him as he turned in a masterful performance to help Palace beat Rayo Vallecano and win the Conference League.
Wharton was the architect behind the decisive goal in Palace’s 1-0 triumph, as he drove towards goal before letting rip with a shot.
Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla could only parry Wharton’s effort as far as Jean-Philippe Mateta, who happily smashed the ball into an empty net to spark delirium amongst the travelling Palace supporters.
Brassell: There’s ‘no doubt’ Wharton is headed for a ‘really big team’
Speaking on talkSPORT’s Trans Euro Express, European football expert Brassell heaped praise on Wharton’s ability to drag his team through when they need him most, especially on the big stage.
“People were asking, ‘Why didn’t anyone close down Adam Wharton?’” Brassell said.
“Well try and stay with him then. It’s just not possible, is it?
“You’re talking about a guy in Adam Wharton, and this is the difference, just like it was the difference when Lucas Paqueta created the winner for Jarrod Bowen in the Conference League final going back a couple of years, the fact is, you’ve got a big guy who can step up at a big moment.
“Adam Wharton, he’s been linked before with Real Madrid or Bayern, he wouldn’t look out of place in either of those clubs. There’s no doubt.
“And he will end up at a really big team at some point.”
Where else could Wharton end up?
Real and Bayern aren’t the only two European giants who hold an interest in Wharton.
talkSPORT has previously reported Manchester United are extremely keen on the 22-year-old.
Adding to the Red Devils’ interest is the fact they are in the market for midfield reinforcements given they will lose Casemiro on a free transfer and are hopeful of shifting Manuel Ugarte.
United are already closing in on one new fresh face in the engine room, with the club in advanced talks with Atalanta over £35million-rated Ederson.
But the capture of Wharton would be a serious statement of intent from Michael Carrick’s side ahead of their return to the Champions League having finished third in the Premier League.
Breaking down Wharton’s potential moves to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich
However, should Wharton want to test himself on the continent, it wouldn’t get much bigger than representing Bayern or Real.
If Wharton moves to the Spanish capital, he’d join fellow English talent Jude Bellingham.
However, he’d face a serious battle to break into their starting lineup considering Los Blancos already have the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde on the books.
Wharton would also have plenty of competition at Bayern, with Joshua Kimmich and young German talent Aleksandar Pavlovic forming a strong partnership in a defensive midfield pivot.
Yet Bayern could look at Wharton as a viable option to boost their midfield stocks given Leon Goretzka has left the club following eight years of service.