GARETH SOUTHGATE believes that Adam Wharton is the kind of midfielder his team has been missing "for seven or eight years", but warned England fans not to expect him and Kobbie Mainoo to turn into Luka Modric and Toni Kroos overnight.
Wharton was one of five uncapped players named in Southgate's 33-man provisional Euros squad last month and has made a strong first impression in training over the past week.
The 20-year-old spent the first half of last season playing Championship football at Blackburn, but joined Crystal Palace in an £18million move in January and bolted into England contention with a superb run of form under new Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.
"He has settled in really confidently with the ball," Southgate said. "I like the fact he likes to play forward as quickly as he can.
This story is from the June 03, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the June 03, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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