Man Utd make final decision on Cole Palmer transfer as summer priority becomes clearer

Manchester United will not be signing Cole Palmer from Chelsea this summer, with the England star out of their price range

Manchester United will not be pursuing a blockbuster move for Cole Palmer this summer.

As revealed by Mirror Football, United chiefs believe the England and Chelsea star is beyond the club's financial reach. It's also understood that an attacking midfielder is not on the club's priorities when it comes to squad reinforcement.

United have splashed out almost £135million on securing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and consider this an area of the team which requires no further investment.

Meanwhile, United could choose to spend whatever is necessary to retain Bruno Fernandes on an extended contract. It's understood co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has conducted discussions with CEO Omar Berrada regarding potential targets.

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The pair have made it their objective to recruit a world-class defensive midfielder, replacing the departing Casemiro.

Those on United's shortlist include Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba, though they remain conscious of the potential valuations of this trio.

Palmer has been touted for a return to Manchester to join United. It has been claimed he is unhappy in London and would prefer to secure a move back to the north west.

However, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior maintains there is no possibility Palmer will be sold. Palmer penned a nine-year contract with Chelsea when he joined them in 2024, meaning he remains under contract until 2023.

United would need to fork out around £100m to secure the 23-year-old, while also offering him wages in the region of £250,000-a-week.

There are also concerns United will miss out on Champions League qualification, undermining their position when it comes to attracting targets to Old Trafford. The deal would make no financial sense for United, who are prepared to offload Marcus Rashford to Barcelona this summer for a bargain £25m.

Speaking about Palmer's future this week, ahead of the Blues' Champions League clash with Napoli, Rosenior insisted that Palmer is not for sale.

Asked whether Palmer is "untouchable" and if he's happy in west London, he said: "Yes and yes. It's simple, Cole's an incredible player. The guy sitting next to me [Moises Caicedo], I've seen many players in the group [who are incredible].

"I'm not surprised at the timing. A new manager comes in and all of a sudden there's people unsettled. It's not true. Cole's here, he's very happy and I can't wait to see him back on the pitch."