Man United told to sign Cole Palmer as Chelsea transfer gets given seal of approval

A former Manchester United defender has urged his old club to prioritise signing Cole Palmer from Chelsea amid reports the 23-year-old could be unsettled

Wes Brown has encouraged Manchester United to focus on signing Cole Palmer. The Chelsea star has been linked with a sensational move to Old Trafford in recent weeks.

Since his transfer from Manchester City in 2023, Palmer has become a key figure at Stamford Bridge. He scored an impressive 27 goals across all competitions during his first season, earning numerous individual awards and establishing himself as a regular for England.

However, after scoring 15 goals in the Premier League last season, his current campaign has been somewhat underwhelming. Palmer has been plagued by injuries and has seen his playing time reduced.

Rumours have surfaced that the 23-year-old, who was born in Wythenshawe, might be feeling homesick and could be considering a return to Manchester in 2026, specifically with United. These claims were dismissed by Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior, but former United defender Brown believes his old club should do everything possible to lure Palmer back.

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Speaking to BettingLounge, Brown was asked whether he'd prefer United to sign Palmer or Aston Villa's rising star Morgan Rogers. He responded: "Who would be a better signing for Manchester United? That's a tough question.

"They're a little bit different to each other, different players. Rogers has got that really high quality to his play but I think Palmer is naturally gifted in some of the things he does.

"Palmer has the flair you need to be a Manchester United player. He brings those little bits to the game that your standard players can't. He was born with that special ability to do things with the ball, see runs and play passes.

"I'd love to see both of them playing together but who would it be if I had to pick one? I keep changing my mind on it but I'd go Palmer, but that's the problem you have.

"I'd be very happy with either of them. But Palmer has shown he has that little bit more confidence, a good kind of arrogance to his game that you need to be a United player.

"We've seen Palmer do it on the biggest stages whereas Rogers is maybe a more straightforward player. He is looking to punish teams every week when he gets the ball and he's electric as well.

"You can't just buy everyone, and it might come down to the fact that you simply don't get a choice either. You have to remember it's on the other club wanting to do business too."

Palmer has been candid about the fact that he was a United fan as a child, despite coming through the ranks at rival City's academy. He has also disclosed that he looked up to United legend Wayne Rooney when he was younger.