'He could play for Spain!' – Crystal Palace team-mate fuels speculation Adam Wharton will end up at Real Madrid

Real Madrid interest in Wharton emerged during the summer transfer window, having not directly replaced either Toni Kroos, who retired in 2024, or Luka Modric in the centre of the pitch. But Los Blancos were not the only side credited with rival interest, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool all thought to be monitoring his progress and situation as well.

Wharton's skillset makes him the ideal central midfielder in the modern game, combining great energy with precise passing and a ball-winning bite. It was that mixture of attributes which previousy propelled a pre-ACL Rodri to the top of the mountain, named the best player in the world in 2024 when he became the first defence-minded winner of the Ballon d'Or in almost 20 years.

Wharton's similarities with Rodri are not lost on Yeremy Pino, who played alongside the Manchester City star at former club Villarreal. The winger, who joined Palace towards the end of the summer transfer window as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Eberechi Eze, has been enormously impressed by what he has seen from Wharton in his first few months in England.

"Adam can do everything," Pino told The Athletic. "Defensively, he is a fighter. He goes in very strong, wins a lot of balls. Technically, you just have to watch him and enjoy him."

The highest praise came next: "He has the quality to play in the Spain national team, no doubt."

Spain is perhaps the side in all of international football most revered for the level technical ability throughout the squad. It would also make full sense for a club like Real Madrid to be interested in a player like Wharton if that is the level he is considered by a colleague in the know to be operating at.

Although British footballers haven't always had the same technical reputation as those from continental Europe or South America, Real Madrid have never shied away from them over the years and there has been a steady string of English, Scottish and Welsh imports. As it goes, the club's first ever captain was an Irishman named Arthur Johnson.

Not all have been a huge success. Where Jude Bellingham and Gareth Bale have been Champions League winners in all-white, and David Beckham played a role in expanding the club's already enormous international reach at the peak of the orginal Galacticos era, Jonathan Woodgate was never fully fit and Michael Owen understandably couldn't dislodge Ronaldo or Raul from the starting XI.

The talent considered good enough to get into Spain's team – if he was, of course, eligible and not born and raised in Lancashire – was not selected by England manager Thomas Tuchel for this month's international fixtures against Wales and Latvia.

Wharton had to withdraw from September's squad through injury and the boss opted to stick with the same team that he'd used for those games when October came around. The 21-year-old was told exactly why and appeared happy to accept the reasoning.

"He just gave me a message saying I'm playing well, I'm close and I deserve to be there, but he's going to stick with the same team," Wharton explained.

"That's football, I'm not too fussed about that. I can take the time off, go see my grandparents, and it's not the end of the world, as there's another camp next month. I'm just focusing on Crystal Palace and playing well, and hopefully, if I play well, I'll get the call. It's nice to hear, but I think my focus is on Palace and if that goes well, then England is just a bonus."

Wharton was a surprise inclusion in the England squad Gareth Southgate named for Euro 2024, but it would come as a shock if he doesn't reclaim his place before next summer's World Cup. There is, however, significant competition for places, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson back in the fold this year, and Jude Bellingham also currently out of the picture.