Sky Sports, via the Daily Express, reports that Cole Palmer could be receptive to a return to Manchester with Manchester United, amid claims the attacker has been feeling homesick since relocating to London.
The 23-year-old, born in Wythenshawe and a boyhood United fan, rose through Manchester City’s academy before joining Chelsea in 2023 for £45 million — a figure that now looks like a bargain in light of his rapid rise.
Palmer wasted little time establishing himself as one of the game’s elite attacking midfielders. In his debut Premier League campaign at Chelsea, he delivered an outstanding return of 22 goals and 11 assists in 33 matches.
Across all competitions, he has amassed 48 goals and 29 assists in 110 appearances since arriving at Stamford Bridge, including a remarkable showing in last summer’s Club World Cup final where he scored twice and set up another goal against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
That said, Chelsea would be extremely reluctant to entertain the idea of selling such a key player to a domestic rival like Manchester United.
While United supporters would undoubtedly welcome a player of Palmer’s quality — regardless of his City roots — any deal would be hugely complex unless Palmer himself pushed for the move, especially given Chelsea’s firm stance on keeping him.
The England international, who has 12 senior caps, is under contract at Chelsea until 2033 and is currently valued at £104 million by Transfermarkt.
