Cole Palmer would love to play for Manchester United one day but any deal soon for the Chelsea star looks almost impossible to pull off
09:00, 29 Jan 2026
Cole Palmer celebrates scoring at Old Trafford
Cole Palmer couldn’t hide his anger on his last visit to Old Trafford. Returning to a stadium he used to frequent as a young Manchester United supporter, he endured a miserable 20 minutes before a recurrence of a groin injury that has wrecked his season for club and country.
Palmer pointed to the problematic groin when he became the third Chelsea player to be substituted in a disastrous opening to the match last September. He grabbed his heavy jacket to shield himself from the torrential rain and trudged down the touchline towards the tunnel.
The 23-year-old might well hope for a happier return at some point in the future. Born in the United hotbed of Wythenshawe, Palmer’s allegiances to the red side of Manchester have never been a secret. A photo of him wearing the 2010/11 home kit often surfaces on social media.
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The question is whether he will ever get to wear the red of United again. There are people who grew up with Palmer who believe he will want to make that happen at some point in his career.
Speaking in January of this year, he talked about the enjoyment he gets from going back to Old Trafford and the memories it stirs in him. Plenty of professional footballers cast their loyalties aside once the sport becomes their job, but it seems Palmer still has a soft spot for his boyhood club.
That has never affected his professionalism at Chelsea. He has scored four goals against United for the Blues and is tied down at Stamford Bridge on a contract that lasts until 2033.
Cole Palmer had a difficult time of it on his last return to Old Trafford(Image: (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images))
A return to Manchester is almost impossible to see at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it should be written off for good. Circumstances would need to align, but if they did, Palmer would likely jump at the chance. A few months after signing for Chelsea, the uncomplicated Mancunian was talking about the difficulty of life in the capital.
“London is different to Manchester, in terms of how big it is, and off the pitch doing stuff on my own, it’s difficult,” he said while on England duty.
He is nearly three years on from that now. He returns home to see friends and family regularly, but his frustration this season stems from those fitness issues. He has played just twice in eight Champions League fixtures and has started just 10 of 23 Premier League games, completing 90 minutes on just three occasions. His progress has stalled, and his place in England’s World Cup squad is vulnerable.
Chelsea’s new head coach, Liam Rosenior, this week played down reports linking Palmer with a move to Old Trafford and said he had no reason to seek guarantees he wouldn’t be sold.
“There’s no reason for assurance. It’s so unrealistic. It’s come from nowhere. There’s nothing in it. There’s no reason to have the conversation. That’s where I’m at,” he said.
“Cole is very happy. I’ve had numerous conversations with him. Our thoughts are on how we can make this team better, how he can improve and how I can help him. He loves being here and he wants to be a Chelsea player. You can’t stop speculation, but some speculation is so far from the truth. There’s no point in having a discussion about it.
“It’s simple. Cole is an incredible player. I’m not surprised at the timing. A new manager comes in and all of a sudden there are people unsettled. It’s not true. Cole’s here, he’s very happy and I can’t wait to see him back on the pitch.”
Palmer is simply not going to be going anywhere this summer. A move to United is something he would be open to at some stage, but there are clear roadblocks to that.
His lengthy Chelsea contract, for starters, and his status as someone who is seen as untouchable at Stamford Bridge. This season might be heading towards being a write-off, but he has plenty of credit in the bank. There is also the issue of whether United would want him or could afford him.
Cole Palmer in a Manchester United shirt as a child
As a left-footed attacker, there is no room for him at his boyhood club. Patrick Dorgu, Amad and Bryan Mbeumo can all play off the right, while Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha are options at No. 10. United’s priority lies in midfield, and if they strengthen the attack, it will be on the left wing, a position Palmer is unsuited to.
There is no doubt that Palmer returning to Manchester to sign for United would be one of the biggest transfers in Premier League history. It would turn heads and be a serious coup. Director of football Jason Wilcox knows Palmer from their time together at the Manchester City academy.
There would also be a romanticism to it. Palmer grew up idolising Wayne Rooney. He was so devoted to United that he would sometimes wear club kit to training with the City academy, just to remind himself of his loyalties as much as anything.
If anything, maybe United missed their chance back then. Academy coach Colin Little told the Talk of the Devils podcast last year that Palmer was close to moving across town at the age of 16, only to stick with City. His struggles to nail down a spot in the first team at the Etihad led to his £42.5million switch to Chelsea in the summer of 2023.
He has lit up the Premier League since then and is regularly considered one that got away for Manchester City. Maybe he’s one that got away for Manchester United as well. One of their own who was born down the red, but whose professional journey so far has taken in the Etihad and Stamford Bridge, but not Old Trafford.
That’s not going to change this summer. But that doesn’t mean it will never happen. There might come a time in the next few years when Palmer sees himself back in red.
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