Cole Palmer transfer truths revealed as Chelsea still plan elite signing amid shock Man Utd links | OneFootball

Chelsea will assess Cole Palmer’s long‑term situation in the summer, with sources insisting to TEAMtalk that the forward’s future has never been a topic of discussion for the January window, despite continued links to Manchester United.

We understand from figures close to the player that while Palmer would ideally like to be based closer to the North West in the long term, given that he is a long-time United fan and has harboured ambitions of playing for them, he is not pushing to leave Stamford Bridge and remains fully committed to the project under BlueCo.

Indeed, those close to the Wythenshawe‑born star describe him as “settled, valued and focused” as he continues to shine in blue.

Inside Chelsea, the feeling is mutual. The club view Palmer as a core pillar of their rebuild and one of the standout success stories of their recruitment strategy. Senior figures are adamant that he is central to their plans and not a player they would entertain losing lightly.

As we have previously revealed, Chelsea’s admiration for Palmer extends into their wider squad‑building ideas – including their long‑standing interest in Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers, a close friend of Palmer’s. Despite Rogers recently signing a new deal at Villa Park, he remains firmly on Chelsea’s radar.

Co‑Director of Recruitment and Talent, Joe Shields, who was instrumental in bringing Palmer from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge, is understood to be a major driving force behind the idea of reuniting Palmer and Rogers. Shields worked closely with both players during his time at City and is a huge admirer of their chemistry on and off the pitch.

A source confirmed to us: “Chelsea love Cole Palmer and everything he has done since arriving, they want him to be part of the project long-term, they made that clear from the start and that stance has not changed.”

However, sources have also told us that if Palmer were ever to push for an exit – something Chelsea do not expect at this stage – Rogers could naturally be viewed externally as a long‑term successor.

Chelsea, for their part, strongly deny this framing and insist their interest in Rogers is complementary, not preparatory.

For now, all parties are aligned: Palmer stays, Chelsea build around him, and if any deeper conversations are required, they will wait until the summer.

Real Madrid are planning a raid on Chelsea to sign one of their most promising young wingers, who Los Blancos believe is better than Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, according to a Spanish report.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery’s hopes of bringing Douglas Luiz to Villa Park in the January transfer window are well and truly over, with a second source claiming that the midfielder is ready to terminate his loan deal with Nottingham Forest and move to Chelsea and play under Liam Rosenior instead.