Oliver Glasner: ‘Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton could need surgery to cure groin injury’

Oliver Glasner has admitted that Adam Wharton could need surgery to heal the groin injury the Crystal Palace midfielder is carrying.

The 20-year-old withdrew from England U21s’ European Championship qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Glasner confirmed that Wharton, who joined from Blackburn last January and made a late surge into Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024, saw a specialist during the international break.

“He’s ready for Monday,” said Glasner, with the Eagles taking on Nottingham Forest as they search for their first Premier League win of the season.

“But it is always the same – we have to manage him. He saw another specialist, and it always has an up-and-down. He’s trained quite well this week, so he’s available and okay.

“We don’t know at the moment. It does not look like it will disappear. We are looking for the right moment for the right break. I looked at the schedule and didn’t find a break. I’m used to having a break around Christmas, but it is the busiest time here.

“We will see. As long as he can deal with his problems and the pain especially, we will try to keep it as it is. 

“When it gets worse, maybe he will need a longer break and surgery.

“I don’t want to talk in detail. It’s not about giving him a two, three, four week break, it’s having surgery or not. That’s the question we have to answer.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD