Cole Palmer responds to Man Utd links: ‘I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea’ | OneFootball

Cole Palmer has shut down talk of a move to Manchester United by insisting that he has “no plans” to leave Chelsea.

Palmer, a Manchester City academy graduate and boyhood United fan, has been linked with a switch back to his home city amid struggles this season at Stamford Bridge.

But the England international has reiterated his commitment to the Blues ahead of the visit of United on Saturday evening.

“Everyone just talks,” he told The Guardian when probed on the reports. “When I see it I just laugh.

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Cole Palmer has shut down reports linking him to Man United (Getty)

“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.

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

There were claims earlier this season that Palmer was homesick after enduring a challenging period marked by injury and a dip in form.

The 23-year-old has managed 10 goals in all competitions this term, down from 18 last season and 27 in a stunning debut campaign in 2023/24.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior firmly stated that Palmer is "very happy" at the club in a direct response to reports of homesickness.

"I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole and he seems very happy to be here, he is very happy to be here," Rosenior confirmed.

"He’s a huge part of our plans in the long term. He’s an outstanding player. Every player goes through difficult moments in their career in terms of injury. It’s not any reflection of his quality."

Palmer’s statement of commitment to Chelsea acts as a refreshing change of pace for the Blues hierarchy, who have seen a couple of their top stars question the project in recent weeks.

Enzo Fernandez was suspended by the club for two games following an interview during the international break in which he appeared to court Real Madrid, while Marc Cucurella said Chelsea made the wrong decision in parting ways with Enzo Maresca in January, blaming “the instability around the club” on the former manager’s departure.

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Enzo Fernandez (left) and Marc Cucurella have both questioned the Chelsea project they are involved in (Getty)

Chelsea require a change in fortunes in their bid to earn Champions League qualification this term, sitting four points off fifth-place Liverpool having lost four league games in their last five.

But Palmer says that he and his teammates have the trust of the owners to achieve, which is one of the reasons captain Reece James put pen to paper on a long-term contract in March.

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