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Chelsea 'join the race for Blackburn Rovers' Adam Wharton'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 28 January 2024

Chelsea 'join the race for Blackburn's Adam Wharton'

Chelsea join Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton, according to a report.

Chelsea have reportedly joined the race for Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton.

There is currently a host of speculation surrounding the 19-year-old's future, with a number of Premier League clubs said to be keen to sign him before the end of the January transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have been heavily linked with him, while Crystal Palace are believed to be showing a strong interest in the teenager in the latter stages of the winter market.

According to The Sun, Chelsea are now firmly in the picture, with the London club's sporting director Paul Winstanley watching the midfielder in action last week.

The report claims that Wharton's performance against Chelsea in the EFL Cup last November drew the attention of the Premier League club.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino reacts on December 16, 2023 © Reuters

Chelsea are allegedly considering making an attempt to buy the youngster before Thursday's deadline and then letting him remain on loan at Blackburn for the rest of the season.

Palace are believed to have had an £18.5m bid rejected, with Rovers looking for around £25m for the midfielder.

The Championship club are in a strong position when it comes to Wharton's future, as he signed a new long-term contract in December, with his deal running until June 2028.

Wharton has been a vital player for Blackburn during the 2023-24 campaign, making 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and registering three assists in the process.

Blackburn Rovers' Sammie Szmodics celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on October 1, 2023 © Reuters

Blackburn are currently 18th in the Championship table, boasting 33 points from 28 matches, which has left them just eight points ahead of the relegation zone.

Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson said last week that Wharton has "Champions League" quality on the ball.

"You know what I think about Adam. He was a boy when I came here and I saw his talent immediately, it's nice to see his development each season," Tomasson told reporters.

"He's not the finished article yet but on the ball, he is Champions League level, I have trained and played there, I know what is needed. At the same time, he's developed a lot definitely."

Chelsea are expected to be in the market for a new centre-forward this summer, meanwhile, with the club likely to be in the race for Napoli's Victor Osimhen.