When Crystal Palace look to take a step towards more silverware on Tuesday at Emirates Stadium, Adam Wharton may well hold the key.
The 21-year-old midfielder helped the Eagles to FA Cup glory against Manchester City earlier this year and then to Community Shield success against Liverpool.
Oliver Glasner’s side are two rounds from another trip to Wembley in the EFL Cup but must first overcome Premier League leaders Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
If Palace are to add to their recent success, and become a consistent presence in European competition, keeping Wharton during the looming January transfer window could be crucial.
“He is still a young player, but the way he moves around the pitch he looks so calm and he hasn’t even played 50 Premier League games yet,” Match of the Day pundit Thomas Hitzlsperger said recently.
“Being so central and being so inexperienced yet having such an effect on this team is really impressive. A modern number six who passes the ball but also wins it back.
“His orientation around the pitch is constantly on. He knows where he is, he knows where his team-mates are. Sometimes he jogs around and doesn’t really get a sweat on but he knows where he needs to be in his position. Nobody can get the ball off him.”
Palace are now eighth in the Premier League after a 4-1 loss to Leeds on Saturday, having slipped from fifth, but are only three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
They have entered a two-legged play-off in the Conference League and will need Wharton to be at his best should they wish to progress and keep their European dream alive.
The “classy, fiercely competitive midfielder”, according to BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty, has been “running games” with his “loping, languid style”.
It is no surprise that he has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool and both Manchester teams.
Here we take an in-depth look into Wharton and how he compares to other Premier League midfielders.
