Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has expressed his thoughts about Cole Palmer’s possible move to Old Trafford. The English midfielder is a long-term target for the Red Devils and was also linked with the club this summer.
United’s pursuit of the Chelsea ace was rooted in their efforts to lay down succession plans for Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese maestro is coming off an impressive campaign, during which he broke the record for the most assists in a Premier League season.
However, Fernandes has entered the final year of his contract and will turn 32 this month. The Portuguese has been indispensable for the Red Devils so far and INEOS have a job on their hands finding his ideal replacement.
There is a belief that Palmer could be the ideal candidate for the job.
A childhood United fan
Palmer is a childhood United fan, even though he rose through the ranks at Manchester City. After failing to find a place in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI at the Etihad, the Englishman made the move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023.
Palmer was on fire in the 2023/24 campaign, finishing with 27 goals and 15 assists in 48 outings. While he has not reached those heights in subsequent campaigns, the 24 year old’s stock remains high.
This season, Palmer has registered two goals and one assist in three games already, suggesting that he is rediscovering his old form.
Cole Palmer Stats: 2026/27 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 173' |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 90' |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 263' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
While Fernandes looks likely to continue at the highest level for a few more years, United will have an eye on Palmer’s situation at Stamford Bridge. Scholes, meanwhile, has refused to rule out Palmer making a dream move to Old Trafford in a few years.
Scholes expects Palmer to eventually join United
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes insisted that United should have attempted to sign Palmer when he left Manchester City to join Chelsea. He said: “Looking back, United should have a sniff definitely, but we’re talking about rivals.”
“He’s a United fan, but were City really going to sell to United? I don’t think so, and why would you?”
Former team-mate Nicky Butt then suggested that the English midfielder could eventually end up at the Theatre of Dreams. He said: “I could see him going from Chelsea to United eventually.”
Scholes responded: “Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Final Thoughts
INEOS have displays signs of a long-term plan with their transfer activity of late and will certainly be considering succession plans for Bruno Fernandes. Palmer has all the attributes to fill the Portuguese’s boots at Old Trafford, so a move for the Englishman in the near future cannot be entirely ruled out.
Featured image Ben Roberts photo via Getty Images
