Liam Rosenior confirms Cole Palmer talks amid Chelsea exit rumours

The boyhood Manchester United fan has been linked with a return up north

Liam Rosenior insists Cole Palmer is “very, very happy” at Chelsea despite reports that he is unsettled in London.

Palmer was born and raised in Manchester, as a Man Utd fan, and reports this week suggested he was looking to return to the north of England three years on from his Manchester City exit.

But the 23-year-old, who is hoping to be passed fit for Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace, is “happy” at Chelsea, according to head coach Rosenior.

Speaking about Palmer in his Friday afternoon press conference, Rosenior revealed: “I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole, and he seems very, very happy to be here. He is very, very happy to be here.

“He is a huge part of our plans long-term. Every player goes through injuries. It’s not a reflection of his quality.”

Palmer lasted the full 90 minutes and scored a penalty in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Brentford, but did not celebrate the goal and went straight down the tunnel at full-time.

Rosenior said: “The frustration in the Brentford game [was] not because he doesn’t want to be here, but because he couldn’t perform how he wanted to. He was in pain.”

Palmer missed Wednesday night’s Champions League win over Pafos due to a minor calf strain but trained on Friday and could return against Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

“Cole is in a good place,” Rosenior added. “He joined training today which is really positive. We'll assess his reaction to training.”