Danny Murphy admits he ‘could see’ Cole Palmer leaving Chelsea to ‘succeed’ Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United.
Palmer has been tentatively linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks, with reports claiming he’s unsettled at Stamford Bridge.
The England international enjoyed a surprising first season at Chelsea following his £40m move from Manchester City, scoring 27 goals and providing 15 assists to win a lot of awards, including the Premier League Young Player of the Season.
Palmer has did not hit those numbers over the past two seasons but continues to be an integral member of the Chelsea squad and, when fit and firing, among the best players within the Premier League.
It has been claimed that Palmer, 23, could be receptive to a move back to Manchester, where he was born and raised, and may very well be tempted to hitch United.
Ex-England midfielder Murphy wouldn’t be surprised if Palmer joined the Red Devils and says he could be an excellent ‘successor’ to United captain Fernandes.
Fernandes stays one of the crucial essential players at Old Trafford but is already being linked with a move away from the club ahead of the summer transfer window.
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Al-Hilal made an enormous offer for the Portuguese midfielder last summer and interest from Saudi Arabia is anticipated to revive this summer as Fernandes enters the ultimate yr of his contract.
Asked whether Chelsea needed to qualify for the Champions League to maintain hold of Palmer, Murphy told BestBettingSites: ‘No, because they’ve got him under a long-term contract, in order that they can keep him either way.
‘But qualifying for the Champions League would make it much easier to quieten the noise around other clubs attempting to get him.
‘It might definitely help. This season hasn’t been as fruitful as he’d like due to injuries and getting back to form. He’s had this nagging thigh or groin problem, whatever it’s.
‘But he’ll get through the groin problem and be high quality because he’s a special player.
‘The way in which football works, should you’re a player of that quality and also you’ve all the time had a love for a specific club, it’s not an enormous stretch to assume things lining up.
‘Especially if United were to go on a run. A whole lot of Chelsea fans think the club is more of a business than a football project, so could I see Cole Palmer leaving for Manchester United? Yes, I could.
‘I wouldn’t want it to occur, but I could see it. Bruno Fernandes needs a successor.’
While Palmer is probably not ruling out a summer move, Chelsea reportedly view the playmaker as one in all at the very least three ‘untouchable’ players within the squad.
But Arsenal legend and Chelsea fan Paul Merson has repeatedly suggested the Blues could be open to selling Palmer – for a price of over £100m.
With regard to Fernandes’ future at Manchester United, former striker Dwight Yorke believes that would rely upon whether or not the club qualify for the Champions League.
Impressive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal under caretaker boss Michael Carrick sent United back into the top-four, one point above Chelsea and two ahead of Liverpool.
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‘Bruno Fernandes has actually been the talisman of the football club for the past five years,’ Yorke told PokerScout. ‘Bruno has all the time been a big player.
‘United have all the time had really good attacking players and Bruno has fit that no doubt. He’s been incredible for the football team over the past five years or so.
‘He was resilient in that he didn’t need to go to Saudi, I believe that it’s good that the manager backed him at that moment. It’s turned out to be the suitable decision from a Manchester United standpoint.
‘I’m wondering if Bruno’s mindset is more positive now, since they added Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to the team, which provides them just a little bit more attacking force.
‘I would really like to think that Bruno will take a look at the entire season come the top of the yr.
‘I believe he’ll remain there, but when United fall off and fail to qualify for the Champions League, I believe that may change the entire dimension of what he’s pondering is likely to be.
‘At the top of the season, Bruno has to seek out what’s best for him at the top of the day and he has to fulfill that goal.’
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