BREAKING NEWS: “Manchester United’s Near Miss: How Cole Palmer Almost Joined His Boyhood Club!”

Chelsea standout Cole Palmer has become one of the Premier League’s most impressive talents since arriving at the club in the summer of 2023. Nevertheless, his career might have taken a completely different direction had he joined Manchester United in his younger years. Former United academy coach Colin Little recently disclosed that Palmer was close to signing for the Red Devils at 16, but the transfer ultimately did not happen.

Palmer refined his abilities in Manchester City’s academy, where he grew into a highly promising talent. Despite his potential, securing a place in Pep Guardiola’s first team was a significant challenge due to fierce competition. Chelsea later took advantage of the situation, acquiring him for £40 million— a deal that has been transformative for both the player and the club.

Since his move to Stamford Bridge, Palmer has been in remarkable form, scoring 39 goals and assisting 22 times in 78 appearances. This season alone, he has recorded 14 goals and seven assists in 28 league matches. Yet, before his rise to stardom, he came very close to wearing Manchester United’s red instead of Chelsea’s blue.

Little, while speaking on The Athletic’s *Talk of the Devils* podcast, provided insight into how United nearly secured Palmer’s services. He stated that Palmer, a lifelong United supporter, was seriously considering departing City at 16. Given that players at that stage could still switch academies, United viewed it as a chance to sign him.

“I know Cole Palmer’s family quite well—his dad and his uncle—and we were very close to getting him,” Little revealed. “He was at that stage where he could leave, and he was unsure about his future. City, at the time, weren’t certain what to do with him either.”

Despite United’s keen interest and Palmer’s admiration for the club, the move never came to fruition. City eventually presented an offer that persuaded him to remain.

“I think City, in the end, made him a good enough offer,” Little added. “But deep down, he was always a United fan, and it was really close.”

Had Palmer joined United at 16, his career might have taken a completely different trajectory. There is no certainty that he would have evolved into the player he is today. Instead, he stayed at City, progressed through their ranks, and eventually found his breakthrough at Chelsea, where he has flourished.

Now, following his absence from Chelsea’s recent match against Arsenal and England’s international fixtures, Palmer has returned to training. His availability provides a major boost for manager Enzo Maresca as Chelsea gears up for a vital Premier League encounter with Tottenham Hotspur.

United’s failure to secure Palmer remains one of football’s great “what-if” scenarios. Considering his outstanding displays at Chelsea, United supporters can only speculate on how he might have strengthened their attack. His record of 39 goals and 22 assists in 78 matches is precisely the kind of offensive quality United has lacked in recent seasons.

Should United have done more to bring him in back then? Or was it simply destiny that guided him to Chelsea instead?