Manchester United midfield targets Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton went head-to-head when Newcastle United faced Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
There are as many as 24 midfield targets on Manchester United’s shortlist heading into the summer transfer window, but a handful of Premier League stars appear to be the priority.
Elliot Anderson is United’s top target according to reports, but there have also been claims that Sandro Tonali is a priority for Ineos.
United have been urged to sign Adam Wharton, and the Palace midfielder is also on Ineos’ radar. Red Devils scouts got a chance to watch both players in action when Newcastle travelled to Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.
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Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton underwhelm in Premier League showdown
Newcastle suffered a late 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Premier League and both Tonali and Adam Wharton had a quiet afternoon of action.
Oliver Glasner raised eyebrows by naming Wharton on the bench for Palace, but he came on as a second-half substitute. Tonali started for Newcastle and spent 89 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Anthony Elanga.
As per SofaScore, Wharton earned a 6.8 rating for his display, while Tonali only did enough for a 6.6.
| Sandro Tonali | Match stats | Adam Wharton |
| 89 | Minutes played | 26 |
| 86 | Touches | 12 |
| 74% (51/69) | Passes completed | 75% (6/8) |
| 2 | Defensive contributions | 3 |
| 50% (3/6) | Duels won | 0% (0/0) |
| 15 | Ball carries | 4 |
United are concerned Adam Wharton is too similar to Kobbie Mainoo – is this a good reason to back away from a deal?
Or are two Kobbie Mainoo types actually smart to have…?
Latest transfer update on Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton
It has been claimed that Tonali is open to joining United this summer, but Newcastle’s transfer demands are steep and Tonali’s wages are certainly not small.
Newcastle have also been on a poor run, and a miserable end to the season will not do Tonali any favours when it comes to making a big move away from Tyneside.
READ MORE: Bruno Fernandes has already hinted at the midfielder he wants at Man Utd in the summer
There have been reports that United are losing interest in Wharton because he is deemed a profile very similar to that of Kobbie Mainoo, so Ineos are prioritising other targets.
The 22-year-old midfielder has also dropped out of the spotlight at Palace, but a strong World Cup campaign with England could reignite interest.
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