Former England and Liverpool winger John Barnes believes Adam Wharton could be the answer to Gareth Southgate’s midfield problems.
The England manager has struggled to accommodate Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka, and Southgate has blamed the lack of alternatives to Kalvin Phillips and fitness struggles as potential causes for the side’s misfiring form.
20-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder Wharton has also featured for England and impressed in relatively few displays, and Barnes told bonuscodebets.co.uk that he could help the national team by fulfilling the same role as Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
He explained: “For Man City Phil Foden doesn’t just run and pick up the ball anywhere. He doesn’t go and get the ball off the back four and then goes over to the right, then he goes over to the left. Neither does Jude Bellingham for Madrid. For England they’re just running around and not holding a position even in an attacking sense.”
“Man City are very strict in their attacking play. Phil Foden doesn't run to get the ball off the right back, the left back, then the midfield player, the centre back. That’s Rodri’s role and that’s why I would like to see Adam Wharton."
“Wharton is an important player for Crystal Palace. He’ll sit in front of the back four. And I think if you want to play with the creative players of Bellingham, Foden or Cole Palmer you really need a holding midfielder. He will sit there to play the ball forward to the attacking players.”
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