Chelsea Midfielder Palmer Denies Manchester United Links

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer says he has “no plans” to leave the club after insisting he “laughs” at reports linking him to Manchester United.

The 23-year-old England international joined the Blues from Manchester City in 2023 in a £42.5m deal.

Despite spending 13 years at the Etihad, Palmer is a boyhood Manchester United fan.

After 43 goals in his first 97 appearances for Chelsea over his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge, Palmer has managed just 10 this campaign.

It has been suggested that Palmer’s drop in form has been partly influenced by homesickness, which led to reports that Manchester United could try to lure the playmaker to Old Trafford.

But Palmer says there is no truth in links to the Red Devils or that he is homesick in London.

“Everyone just talks,” Palmer told the Guardian, external.

“When I see it I just laugh. Obviously Manchester is my home. All my family are there, but I don’t miss it.

“Maybe I’ll miss it if I don’t go for three months or something. But then when I get home I think there’s nothing there for me anyway.”

Palmer signed a contract extension with the Blues in 2024, which ties him to the club until 2033.

“I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea,” Palmer continued.

“We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’ve got the FA Cup semi-final [against Leeds] and if we finish in a Champions League spot it puts us in a good position to sign players that we need.”

Chelsea are sixth in the Premier League and take on third-placed Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they bid to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League.

While Palmer says doing so will aid the club’s summer transfer business, the midfielder says he and captain Reece James have made it clear to the club that new signings are required regardless.

“We spoke to the owners and they’re sure of the players that are going to do it,” said Palmer.

“Reece won’t sign a six-year contract if he’s not spoken to the owners and the directors.

“Me and Reece spoke a lot, about things we need, players we need to sign and how things need to be. He wouldn’t sign a new contract if he didn’t know what was going on.”