Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer linked with shock Premier League transfer | Football

Cole Palmer is reportedly ‘unsettled’ at Chelsea and would consider rejoining Manchester City if Pep Guardiola leaves this summer.

Guardiola sanctioned Man City’s decision to dump Palmer back in 2023, with Chelsea paying £40m to bring the playmaker to Stamford Bridge.

Palmer was highly-rated by coaches on the Etihad Stadium but made just 19 league appearances for City before moving to west London.

To say Palmer hit the bottom running at Chelsea could be an understatement, with the 23-year-old scoring 27 goals and making 15 assists during his first season with the Blues.

That prolific form led to Palmer being named Chelsea Players’ Player of the Season, the Chelsea Player of the Season, the Premier League Young Player of the Season and the PFA Fans’ Player of the 12 months.

Palmer’s incredible rise continued that summer as he made an impact at Euro 2024 despite not being a starter under Gareth Southgate, scoring England’s goal in the ultimate defeat to Spain.

He has hardly gone missing over the past 18 months – scoring 19 goals within the Premier League alone – but a slight drop-off has been noted, not helped by multiple frustrating injury setback.

Palmer has began lower than half of Chelsea’s league games this term and, in accordance with The Sun, is ‘not particularly having fun with life down south’.

It’s claimed Palmer is somewhat unsettled at Chelsea and homesick, having been born and raised in Manchester.

The Sun even say Palmer ‘could well be tempted’ to return to Manchester City should his former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca succeed Guardiola.

Ex-City coach Maresca was being mooted as Guardiola’s substitute even before his departure from Chelsea and that speculation has only intensified since he left Stamford Bridge.

Despite joining Manchester City’s academy on the age of eight, Palmer grew up supporting Manchester United and the Red Devils have also been tentatively linked with the Chelsea superstar.

‘Could Mauricio Pochettino persuade Cole Palmer to return to Manchester United? Provided that Chelsea could be willing to let him go,’ Rene Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, told Casinostugan.

‘Palmer is a incredible player and I feel he would suit Manchester United very well and the way in which they must be playing because he’s a difference maker. That’s all the time what you would like.

‘You’d have to take into consideration how he’s going to slot in because on that right-hand side, where Cole is playing to return into the pocket, obviously you possibly can have Amad Diallo there too or Mbeumo. Bruno operates in the center.

‘Palmer was a boyhood United fan and it’s actually too strange for words that United never picked up on it and made sure that they sounded him out about his plans if he ever were to depart City. It’s very strange that it never happened, in my view.’

Palmer was on the scoresheet in Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League win over Brentford on Saturday but then missed Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Pafos.

Explaining Palmer’s absence prior to the 1-0 win, which was sealed by Moises Caicedo’s second-half header, latest Blues boss Liam Rosenior said: ‘Cole felt somewhat little bit of tightness in his thigh. He just misses out, but he must be absolutely effective for Sunday.

‘I’ve got to administer the squad as best as possible and ensure we’re fit throughout the season with the sheer amount of games we’ve got in a brief space of time.’

Palmer will hope to return to motion on Sunday when Chelsea, currently sixth within the Premier League, visit London rivals Crystal Palace.

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