Walton passes the Manchester United test! After next year's signings, the new academy star might not have to leave, Amolin responds

Although Crystal Palace lost 1-2 to Manchester United, 21-year-old English midfielder Adam Walton performed impressively, especially during the energetic first half, fully demonstrating why Ruben Amolin valued him. Walton is a player highly regarded by the Red Devils' coach, and this match only strengthened their desire to sign him.

In the first half, Walton completed the most passes for Crystal Palace and achieved the highest number of 4 one-on-one duels and 3 interceptions throughout the game. His exquisite passing helped Mateta earn a penalty. This precise distribution is Walton’s specialty, earning him comparisons to Manchester United legend Carrick.

Walton’s performance in the second half was less impressive, and he was substituted in the 77th minute when the team was trailing 1-2. However, this was mainly due to fatigue; he has already played 18 matches this season, totaling 1327 minutes. In contrast, Manchester United’s “iron man” Bruno Fernandes has 14 appearances and 1207 minutes.

Walton is one of the top three midfield candidates Manchester United is targeting for next year, alongside Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.

The chance of signing all three players in January is very slim, and even in next summer’s transfer window, Crystal Palace will not consider any offer below £70 million. Moreover, if Walton continues to perform well, his value could rise further.

According to British media, Manchester United is confident that Amolin can secure European competition qualification and attract Walton to join. However, this may not be good news for the team’s 20-year-old England international, Kobe Meno. If new midfielders arrive in January or the summer window, Meno’s role as a backup could become more certain, a position he is unwilling to accept.

Meno rose to fame in the 2023/24 season but has sharply declined over the past 18 months. Currently, Amolin’s preferred midfielders are Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro. If two new midfielders are signed next year, Meno’s status is unlikely to improve. Therefore, Italian media report that Meno has agreed to transfer to Serie A champions Napoli, with Conte’s team confident about securing him.

In the Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace match, Meno only came on as a substitute in the 91st minute. Although the team was leading, the young academy star looked visibly displeased while standing on the sidelines.

When Amolin was asked about Meno’s role, he said: “Like other players, I consider him a starter, but the situation is straightforward—I had to make a choice, and ultimately, Kobe (Meno) was not selected. But what happens in the future, I don’t know. I want to emphasize that Casemiro also didn’t play much early in my tenure, but now he is an essential player. I just want to win matches; I don’t care who plays as long as the team wins.”

Amolin added: “In Monday’s game against Everton, I put Kobe on because of his threat inside the box. With teammates like Bruno Fernandes, he has the chance to create opportunities and score in the penalty area. I will have Kobe and other teammates work together to help the team win.”

Regarding whether Meno might miss the World Cup next summer, Amolin responded: “Football is a team sport. You always discuss Kobe a lot, but my squad has many other players who also want to play in the World Cup, so it might be unfair. I don’t focus on one player; I want to help all players. I also understand how special it is for a player to participate in the World Cup. But my responsibility is to lead the team to victory and keep everyone concentrated. So, Kobe and the others are equal; if I believe it’s the best choice to win, I will do it. That’s all.”

At this stage of Meno’s career, leaving Manchester United might actually be beneficial for him. Teammates like Mason Greenwood, McTominay, Rashford, and Hojlund can serve as role models for his development.