Adam Wharton isn't just a promising talent - he's the cornerstone of Crystal Palace's game and the player Fiorentina must keep the closest eye on.

A player of rare elegance, the young Englishman possesses an elegant left foot that doesn't just move the ball around but makes his whole team tick. His slender build – standing a few inches shy of six foot - might be misleading, but Wharton isn't a traditional holding midfielder. He's a dynamic playmaker who dictates play through positional intelligence and wonderful peripheral vision.

What makes him unique in English football is his ability to see things that others don't. His strength lies in the calmness with which he uses the ball. Through his constant scanning Wharton knows what to do before the ball even reaches his feet. This allows him to almost always play with one or two touches, making the opposition's pressing game difficult and often rendering it ineffective. His team-mates move at his pace, confident that if they attack the space with the right timing, they'll be served with his pinpoint passes. If he can't find an immediate outlet on the flanks then Wharton is highly skilled at combining with his midfield partner to reposition himself and find the decisive through ball that pierces the opposition’s defensive lines.

He favours playing on the centre-left side of midfield, from where he can open up the pitch or release direct passes to forwards and attacking midfielders such as Pape Sarr. Despite his seemingly modest assist rate, his through balls break down the opposition's play patterns, allowing his team to reach the opposition’s penalty area with numerical superiority.

Unlike many traditional playmakers who struggle when out of possession, Wharton has proven himself to be an excellent ball winner. His defensive work isn't based on brute force, but on an extraordinary sense of positioning and the timing of his tackles.