Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has dismissed suggestions that Cole Palmer could leave the club amid speculation of a move to Manchester United.
Earlier this week, reports suggested that Palmer feels unsettled in London and homesick and would be open to a sensational move to Manchester United. The Mancunian-born midfielder has seen his 2025/26 campaign plagued by injuries, which has curtailed his game time at the west London club.
Rosenior had earlier squashed rumours of Palmer’s departure, saying the 23-year-old is happy at the club and part of his long-term plans. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League match against Napoli, Rosenior once again spoke about Palmer’s future.
When asked whether there had been any reassurances from the board over Palmer’s future, Rosenior responded:
“There's no reason for assurance. It's so unrealistic. It's come from nowhere. There's nothing in it. There's no reason to have the conversation. That's where I'm at. Cole is very happy. I've had numerous conversations with him. Our thoughts are on how we can make this team better, how he can improve and how I can help him. He loves being here, and he wants to be a Chelsea player. You can't stop speculation, but some speculation is so far from the truth. There's no point in having a discussion about it.
“It's simple. Cole is an incredible player. I'm not surprised at the timing. A new manager comes in and all of a sudden there are people unsettled. It's not true. Cole's here, he's very happy and I can't wait to see him back on the pitch.”
Palmer has featured in only one match since Rosenior took charge at Chelsea. He was excluded from the matchday squad of the club’s last outing – a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.
However, Rosenior confirmed that he travelled with the team to Naples. So far this season, Palmer has scored five goals in 13 appearances across all competitions.
Chelsea ace Cole Palmer grew up as a Manchester United fan
Despite having yet to play for Manchester United, Palmer revealed that he supported the Red Devils when he was younger and that he frequently went to Old Trafford in his youth.
During an interview with Sky Sports in 2025, he said:
“When I do go back to the stadium [Old Trafford] it's good because I used to go and watch matches there.”
When asked who his icon was growing up, he revealed it was United legend Wayne Rooney, saying:
“Obviously I supported United and he was probably the best player when I was watching them.”
Palmer came through the ranks at Manchester City, playing across different age brackets before joining Chelsea in 2023.