Man Utd get first green light towards titanic Cole Palmer transfer but staggering fee and Fabrizio Romano warning represents major issue

Manchester United have been told they may have a route towards the huge signing of Cole Palmer this year amid claims the star is homesick and wants to return to living in the north-west, though Chelsea’s stance on his sale and the huge asking price he will command both present very sizeable hurdles.

The 23-year-old England international has realised his world-class potential since joining Chelsea in a £40m deal from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, scoring an impressive 48 goals and adding 29 assists in 110 games – a G/A of one every 1.42 appearances for the Blues.

With that form also earning him 12 England caps, on his day, Palmer has shown himself to be one of the country’s most naturally gifted playmakers.

However, reports in The Sun earlier this week claimed Palmer is keen to leave London after three years and return to his north-west routes , giving Manchester United a perfect chance to sign the Wythanshawe-born star.

Now, according to the Express , Palmer has made it clear to the Blues that he feels homesick in London and wants to return to living in Manchester.

And while the paper claim wages would not be a problem for the Red Devils, his asking price would present something of a major issue, with the Blues reportedly ready to put a prohibitive £100m-plus asking price on his head.

Indeed, it is understood they could seek as much as £12om (€138.5m, $163m) for his signing – a fee which United would need to consider very carefully giving attacking midfield is not seen as a priority this summer.

Furthermore, while always seen as the one that got away for the Red Devils, a double update from both Fabrizio Romano and The Telegraph has outlined the huge hurdles United face…

Amid speculation that Palmer is ready to submit a transfer request to force through the move, Romano has now spoken out to dismiss any notion of Chelsea sanctioning the sale.

“We had rumours in England about Cole Palmer’s desire to go back to Manchester, maybe to Man Utd, Palmer to leave Chelsea in the summer. In January, nothing is happening. At this stage, Chelsea’s position is very clear,” Romano said on his YouTube channel .

“They see Palmer as a crucial part of their project. Chelsea don’t want Palmer to leave the club. Today, Liam Rosenior in his press conference said he’s a crucial part of our long-term project. He said, ‘I had several conversations with Cole, and he’s very happy here.’

“Chelsea are not on alert for anything at this stage. Obviously, there will be always be rumours around Palmer, a fantastic player.

“But as of today, January, nothing is happening and Chelsea are counting on Palmer at this stage.”

Indeed, addressing those claims, The Telegraph claims Palmer is part of a new group of ‘untouchables’ at Chelsea , along with skipper Reece James and midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Crystal Palace, Rosenior was also asked about the future of the 23-year-old.

“I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole, and he seems very, very happy to be here. He is very, very happy to be here,” Rosenior stated.

“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 careers in terms of injury. I don’t think it’s any reflection on his qualities. He’s an outstanding footballer.”

Former Premier League star Darren Ambrose, however, is adamant a move cannot be ruled out , though suggests that could come in the summer, rather than this month.

“They’re not going to like this; I don’t think Liam Rosenior’s gonna like that either, to be honest,” Ambrose said on speculation that Palmer wants to leave Chelsea .

“I know he’s had his injury problems, but he’s their main player. He’s the best player at Chelsea , let’s be honest, when he’s on form.

“Manchester United, though, are on, on the up, shall we say, and yes, they’ve got an interim manager at the moment in Michael Carrick – who knows where that’s going to go and who knows who’s going to be their manager in the long run -, but you just never know…

“But I can’t see that happening this January, to be honest. That would take an awful lot of money, if they can get that done this January. But that may be one for the future…”

Ambrose then explained why a high-profile, big-money exit from Chelsea cannot be ruled out in the future, adding: “You know what Chelsea’s model is like. They buy the young players and then sell them off for a big profit.

“Cole Palmer is still only 23, by the way, it seems like it’s been around for ages, but still only 23, so I can see this one rumbling on until the summer, for sure.

“He’s pivotal to Chelsea’s future, and for Rosenior, and if he’s to be there for anywhere near the length of his [six-year] contract, he’s going to want to want to keep hold of Cole Palmer , that’s for sure.”

In other Man Utd news, David Ornstein believes Michael Carrick can put himself in contention for the permanent manager’s role at Old Trafford , even if he could be hamstrung by a problem that has been years in the making.

Meanwhile, we can confirm that a top Croatian defensive prodigy shunned interest from both Chelsea and United ahead of committing to Italian giants Inter Milan , TEAMtalk sources have revealed.

Down at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are reportedly planning to launch a mammoth € 100 million bid for an elite Barcelona star , amid speculation over Palmer’s future at Stamford Bridge.