Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

2

4

Progressive passes

5.9

5.7

Key passes

1.7

0.5

Clearances made

1.6

1.1

Tackles won

1.2

1.1

Take-on success

43%

31%

Recoveries made

5.8

5.6

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

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