Manchester United will likely need at least £70 million to sign the "new Carrick," and may miss out this summer! Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s main focus will be on player sales first.

United suffered a 0-1 defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford, yet their new forwards performed well, just missing a bit of luck and composure in front of goal. Still, the goalkeeper and midfield are seen as vulnerabilities; Casemiro can only manage a little over one half, and Ugarte's attacking and passing were disappointing, with one careless long shot shocking the crowd behind the goal.

Because Brighton’s Carlos Baleba is priced at £120 million, which is far too high, "talkSPORT" reports that United are now considering a move for Crystal Palace’s English midfielder Adam Wharton.

Of course, prying Wharton away from Selhurst Park will not be easy. Like Brighton, Palace are determined to keep him this summer and are planning to sell him for a higher fee next year.

Therefore, to persuade Crystal Palace to let Wharton go, United will need to offer at least £70 million. Wharton does not have a release clause and is under contract until 2029. With both Eze and Guehi potentially leaving, Palace are unlikely to agree to any discount in a possible deal for Wharton.

Wharton joined Blackburn’s academy at age four. In February 2024, Palace signed him from Blackburn for £22 million. Now, the Eagles value him at more than three times that fee. As a young English midfielder, this price is not surprising.

United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Wharton could become a Carrick-type player: "For the past month, we've talked a lot about Baleba, but before that, Wharton was also someone I mentioned. He’s the closest to Carrick’s style—great control, can dictate play, and sometimes pushes forward from deep."

Rio added: "If needed, he can play as a number 8 and make late runs into the box, but he’s more of a conductor, orchestrating the game. Last season, I watched him against top sides like Man City and Liverpool; he looked composed and ready for big challenges. He thrives under pressure and slows the game down when he’s on the ball."

Reportedly, United scouts watched Palace’s 0-0 away draw with Chelsea on Sunday. Eze scored but had his goal disallowed for a teammate’s foul in the wall. Wharton’s steady performance helped keep Club World Cup champions Chelsea at bay.

According to "Football Insider," Palace’s plan is to keep both Wharton and striker Mateta for the new season to ensure manager Oliver Glasner has enough options. Eze has a £68 million release clause, and with Guehi’s contract expiring next year, both are more likely to be sold.

There remains significant doubt over whether United can bring in any more signings this summer. Besides abandoning the pursuit of Baleba, "The Athletic" expert David Ornstein has also ruled out the possibility of United landing Wharton.

Ornstein explained: "United have made contact regarding Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand and Palace’s Adam Wharton, but I’m not sure either deal is realistic at this stage."

Ornstein said United’s transfer department now needs to focus on sales: "United want to offload players, with André Onana’s situation particularly interesting. Amorim is looking for a new goalkeeper, but there’s no sign Onana will leave. Garnacho is likely to join Chelsea, while Sancho and Roma are still negotiating a transfer—an agreement is in place, but he hasn’t accepted yet. Højlund’s time at United seems to be ending; he missed the first game, and Malacia could also depart."