The rumour mill often throws up surprising stories, but Cole Palmer’s reported interest in joining Manchester United isn’t one of them. The Chelsea attacker grew up in Wythenshawe, South Manchester, and supported the Red Devils as a child.
Palmer idolised Wayne Rooney, wowed by his dominant spell for the Reds, during which he became the club’s all-time top goalscorer. He visited Old Trafford and watched the latter stages of the glorious Sir Alex Ferguson era.
It’s a story that carries so much weight, not least because of Palmer’s spell at rivals Manchester City. He opted to leave due to concerns about game time under Pep Guardiola, and Chelsea swooped for his signature.
Palmer perfect for Man United
While there were signs that Palmer could become a top talent, nobody envisioned the impact made at Stamford Bridge. The West Londoners struck gold, spending £42.5m for the attacker in the summer of 2023.
Palmer struck the ball into the back of the net 22 times in 34 league games during his debut season with the Blues. He quickly became their talisman and put his name up in lights with sensational performances.
This season has been a frustrating one for Palmer due to injury problems. That said, he has stolen the show when available, posting eight goals in 16 league games.
Palmer’s future will likely remain a talking point in the summer amid reports he is missing Manchester and is eyeing a move to Old Trafford. SunSport claimed in January that he was willing to join the Reds due to homesickness.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has refuted those suggestions, while Palmer himself has suggested he isn’t listening to the noise. He hasn’t directly ruled out a possible move, although there’s no indication he is prepared to push for a transfer this summer.
‘Chelsea better than Man Utd’
Palmer’s future has been a hot topic of discussion ever since the report surfaced. United fans get carried away believing he is Bruno Fernandes’ long-term replacement.
The English attacker is under contract with Chelsea until 2033, which makes a possible deal extremely difficult. He also plays for a superior club, according to their former player Gus Poyet.
Speaking to football.london, Poyet questioned why Palmer would prefer to join the Reds over staying with the Blues:
“I wouldn’t [join Man Utd], if I was him. I’m not saying this because I played for Chelsea, because this is not the United from Sir Alex Ferguson. People that say, ‘it’s still Man United’. I’m sorry, no. The last five years, six years? No [it’s not the same]. So I think Chelsea now is a better club, structure and more consistent than United.”
Poyet argued that the Old Trafford giants are no longer the biggest club in England:
“I’m not British, maybe sometimes for British people or for the players, Man United is still the biggest club, fair enough but I wouldn’t say that.”
Poyet touched on his decision to leave City and how a pattern has re-emerged:
“Now, then there is a situation with his position at Chelsea, that is a process. He likes to play in a certain position; he left Man City because he was playing wide and playing a little, and now he’s back to the wide position.”
Poyet added:
“I really hope he doesn’t get upset, he’s performing and he’s happy, because if not, obviously that can’t help. So let’s see what happens at the end of the season, especially in the World Cup, because I think he’s a player of incredible, incredible quality and Chelsea needs him to stay.”
Poyet’s moot point
Poyet doesn’t seem to acknowledge that Palmer grew up as a United fan, and that could be a key factor in a possible transfer. Suggesting that Chelsea has a “better structure” is ridiculous, given how much the West Londoners have spent and how long it’s taken to achieve trophy success under new owners.
The Uruguayan is forgetting that the Reds are behind the Blues in their rebuild under new ownership. His argument that his former club is “more consistent” is humorous when looking at the Premier League table and recent results.
Who needs Palmer
United haven’t shown they are preparing to swoop for Palmer. All of the talk has been about the player’s intentions rather than the club’s.
Alongside this, Fernandes is at the peak of his powers this season. The Portuguese playmaker could sign a new deal if Champions League qualification is secured.
Palmer wouldn’t be a priority anytime soon, especially at an astronomical £150m+ fee that is likely to be required to sign him. Other creative midfielders have been linked, including Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, who could be available in a cut-price deal if his club suffer relegation.
