Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made clear the club will resist moving its Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace to Dec. 23, after Palace asked for an alternative date amid a severe fixture pile-up.

The quarter-final is currently scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16. Arsenal and Palace reached this stage by overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool in the fourth round respectively. Palace say the proposed date leaves them with three matches in five days: Manchester City are due to visit Selhurst Park two days prior in the Premier League and Palace then face KuPS in the Conference League two days after the scheduled cup tie.

Palace sought options after playing on Christmas Eve was ruled out following consultation with the Metropolitan police and Transport for London, and the Eagles proposed Dec. 23 as a possible alternative. Arsenal, who face Wolves a day before City travel to south London, have not agreed to that change.

“I don’t think that’s fair, because we have other competitions as well we have to try to accommodate,” Arteta said at his news conference. “We knew at the start of the season the competitions that each club is playing in … On balance we have to try to accommodate the best possible way for everybody.”

Asked specifically about the Dec. 23 option he added: “No, there are others. There are others, believe me, there are other options much better than this one. We already suggested that.”

The EFL, which governs the Carabao Cup, has yet to make an official ruling and both clubs expect a decision in the coming week.

Concerns about fixture congestion and player workload are not new. This summer’s Club World Cup provided little respite for players from Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and other leading clubs, and there have been suggestions that strike action might be needed to force governing bodies to listen.

On that point Arteta was clear about his hopes and priorities: “Hopefully not. If we look after the players’ welfare and our supporters, I think we’re never going to get to that point. And that’s it. We have to close the window there. We cannot open that window. It has to be closed. It’s our most precious value.

“We have the best league in the world and we cannot just open any window for anything just to lose that because we don’t respect that, and we forget what we are made of and what makes this game and this league so, so special. And if we respect that, I’m sure we’re going to be totally fine.”

Adam Wharton has emerged at Crystal Palace as a left-footed midfield presence who could command significant interest next summer. Palace paid around £20 million ($26.6 million) for the 21-year-old, and his ball-carrying and passing profile make him a natural target for clubs seeking a deep-lying connector. He has been described as a “continental” midfielder by some and Gen Z’s answer to Michael Carrick.

Tottenham Hotspur — Likelihood rating: 4/10
Spurs were linked faintly last summer and appear to have watched Wharton during his Blackburn days. Whether Thomas Frank’s side push for him will depend on their fortunes in Frank’s first season in charge. Supporters are crying out for his kind of passing ability, but Palace’s asking price and competition make Spurs outsiders.

Manchester City — Likelihood rating: 6/10
Rodri’s fitness issues after his ACL tear in September 2024 have opened the door to long-term planning. Nico González and Mateo Kovačić provide depth, but uncertainty over Rodri’s return and Kovačić’s contract situation leave room for reinforcement. Pep Guardiola called Wharton an “excellent holding midfielder” before the 2025 FA Cup final, and the profile fits the kind of Spanish controller City might target.

Chelsea — Likelihood rating: 6.5/10
Chelsea’s recruitment appetite is well documented and Wharton has reportedly been added to the club’s “transfer shortlist” for 2026. With Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Roméo Lavia in the squad, Wharton would be a complementary option who can resist pressure and play incisive passes from the pivot.

Real Madrid — Likelihood rating: 7/10
Madrid are expected to rebuild their midfield after consecutive departures of elite midfielders. Wharton is perhaps too direct to be a regista, but his technical gifts could suit Spain. The suggestion that he could make that step follows examples like Michael Olise’s move from Palace.

Manchester United — Likelihood rating: 8/10
United demonstrated their pull in the summer and are reportedly considering Wharton alongside Carlos Baleba. His front-foot defending and adaptability to a 3-4-2-1 at Palace suggest he would fit Ruben Amorim’s midfield plans.

Bayern Munich have acknowledged active interest in the centre-back market after their director of sports held discussions with the agent of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. The meeting in Munich has been reported as an initial contact as Bayern weigh options to reinforce their defence.

Max Eberl was asked about the contact in a recent interview with DAZN. He did not name Guéhi directly but made clear Bayern are looking for a new central defender. “It’s absolutely clear that we as Bayern Munich are exploring the market,” he explained.

Eberl stressed that the club’s immediate priority remains securing the future of Dayot Upamecano. “Our clear goal is to extend [Dayot Upamecano]’s contract. That’s our ultimate goal. If that doesn’t work out, we have to be prepared. We would be foolish not to. That’s the reason.

“I’ve not confirmed anything, but we are active in the market.”

Both Guéhi and Upamecano are reported to be in the final year of their contracts, a situation that increases the likelihood of movement when the window opens. Bayern’s search for reinforcements is also tied to long-running speculation around Kim Min-jae’s future; if he were to leave, the club would face an immediate need for another centre back.

Liverpool and Real Madrid are mentioned among admirers of Upamecano in the current reports, while Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté is noted as another defender whose expiring contract places him in the same group of players attracting attention. Konaté’s past team connection with Upamecano at RB Leipzig is highlighted as context for the overlapping interest.

For now, Bayern present a cautious public line: prioritise a contract extension for an existing player while keeping the market under review. Crystal Palace, and the other clubs linked to those defenders, will be watching how negotiations and potential exits shape the coming transfer window.