Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has voiced his admiration for Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, suggesting he would be an exceptional addition to the Old Trafford squad. This comes amid previous reports linking the 23-year-old with a move to Manchester United during the January transfer window, when Palmer was reportedly unsettled at Stamford Bridge during a difficult third season with the west London club.
Palmer's challenging season at Chelsea
Palmer was part of a Chelsea side that struggled significantly under managers Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior, and interim head coach Calum McFarlane during the 2025/26 campaign. The team finished 10th in the Premier League, missing out on European qualification and failing to secure any silverware. Chelsea's poor form fueled speculation that Palmer might seek a departure, with Manchester United among the clubs linked to the attacking midfielder.
Palmer, who grew up as a Manchester United supporter, progressed through the academy of their bitter rivals Manchester City before being sold to Chelsea for £42.5 million in September 2023. Despite the rumors, the England international—who was not selected for Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad—stated in April that he has 'no plans' to leave his current club.
Neville's verdict on Palmer
Speaking on former teammate Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel, Neville shared his views on players who would be brilliant at Manchester United. He drew comparisons to legendary signings of the past, saying: 'When Manchester United signed Bryan Robson, Ron Atkinson said something along the lines of "this is no risk, this is gold". I think Harry Kane would have been that for United, that would have been gold. You [Ferdinand] joining from Leeds, Wazza [Rooney] joining from Everton, Roy Keane from Nottingham Forest – those are all gold.'
Neville continued: 'Declan Rice was the same before he joined Arsenal. They're absolute guarantees, they're certainties and in the end they will look cheap. If Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge of Man United he would never have allowed Harry Kane to be anywhere else, he would have made sure he came to Old Trafford. Declan Rice would have been the same. Sir Alex would have been all over those two.'
The former full-back also praised recent signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, calling them 'good' but not 'gold'. He explained: 'It's not about just signing English players because look at Robin van Persie – he was established in the Premier League and you knew he was going to deliver for you. I do like the signings of Cunha and Mbeumo last summer because they've had that grounding in the Premier League. They weren't "gold" but there was a removal of risk because they'd played in the Premier League and they were stepping up a level and they were young and hungry.'
Regarding Palmer, Neville said: 'There's talk of Cole Palmer and that looks like a signing that could be gold for Manchester United if he came to Old Trafford. But I don't think it would happen though, I think Chelsea will hang onto him. But there's very few signings like that available, it's only every few years that these type of players become available.'
United's summer transfer plans
Meanwhile, Manchester United are progressing with other transfer targets. Atalanta midfielder Ederson is set to become Michael Carrick's first signing this summer, with the Reds agreeing a £35 million deal. The Brazilian is expected to sign a four-year contract with the option of an additional year. However, the move may be delayed after the 26-year-old was called up to the Brazil squad as a replacement for the injured Wesley, shifting the expected completion from early July.
