Man Utd coach reveals reasons behind failed move for Red Devils ‘fan’ Cole Palmer

Rob McCarthy 30 Mar 2025 8:06 AM

Cole Palmer could have ended up at Man Utd

Manchester United academy coach Colin Little has revealed just how close the club came from pinching Red Devils ‘fan’ Cole Palmer from rivals Manchester City as a teenager.

The 22-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting talents in the Premier League since joining Chelsea and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year after an extraordinary debut season at Stamford Bridge last time out.

Indeed, Palmer has scored 39 goals in 78 games for the west London giants, while also notching 22 assists in what’s been a remarkable run of form – although he is currently without a goal in his last 10 games in all competitions.

City’s decision to allow the England attacker to move to a direct rival certainly raised some eyebrows at that time, while Pep Guardiola has since described the £40million transfer to Chelsea as a ‘mistake’.

However, it’s since emerged that Palmer could have ended up a Man Utd player, three years before he eventually made his Premier League debut at The Etihad.

According to United Under-18 coach Little, Palmer has always been a ‘big United fan’ and the forward actually ‘ummed and ahed’ about a switch to Old Trafford when he was just 16.

“I know Cole Palmer’s family quite well, I know his dad and his uncle, and we were close to getting Cole Palmer when he was about 16, believe it or not,” Little explained on The Athletic’s Talk of the Devils podcast.

“He was umming and ahing and I knew he was a big United fan.”

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City offer too good to turn down

Little adds that City eventually made Palmer a good enough offer that tied him to the club and ended all hope of a switch across Manchester, before his eventual move to the capital in 2023.

The Reed Devils coach added: “He was at that age where you’re allowed to leave, 16 is it? And they were umming and ahing, Manchester City, about it.

“I think in the end Manchester City made him a good enough offer. But really, he was always a Manchester United fan and it was close anyway, I remember speaking.”

Little continued: “I think City needed to show him a bit more love and that kind of stuff.

“We never quite got it over the line but it would have been nice if we did, wouldn’t it?”

Palmer is expected to be back in the Chelsea side for Thursday night’s Premier League clash with Tottenham, having missed the game against Arsenal before the international break with a hamstring issue.

The forward was back in training on Friday, while the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke were also able to feature at Cobham this week after working their way back from muscle injuries.