The door to Manchester United for Palmer is increasingly wide open.

There are ample grounds to trust the possibility of Cole Palmer departing Chelsea and moving to Manchester United (MU) in the upcoming summer.

In the recent friendly match against Uruguay, Palmer only came on as a substitute in the second half. This indicates his standing in the national team has significantly declined. Palmer is fiercely competing with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Phil Foden, and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 position under Thomas Tuchel.

This is precisely the consequence of Palmer no longer maintaining his best form and mental state while wearing Chelsea's colors. Recent information reveals that the 23-year-old star feels dissatisfied with the tactical changes at Chelsea, which have limited his operating space on the field. Additionally, Palmer has struggled to find a partner who understands his style this season, despite Chelsea having quality forwards like Joao Pedro. In previous seasons, Palmer's compatible attacking partner was Nicolas Jackson. This season, the Senegalese striker was loaned to Bayern Munich. This has significantly impacted Palmer's performance this season: he has created only 19 scoring opportunities, scored 9 goals, and provided exactly 1 assist. Compared to last season, these results are disappointing.

Chelsea is confident they can keep Palmer. Palmer's contract with Chelsea runs until 2033. This ensures Rosenior's team faces no pressure to sell him this summer. However, if Chelsea fails to secure a Champions League spot next season, Palmer could very well seek a move to a club with greater ambitions. Since he joined Chelsea three years ago, the club has won only two trophies: the Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Palmer does not want to play for a team content with merely finishing in the Top 4 or Top 5 like Chelsea. He needs major titles like the Premier League or Champions League to elevate his status as a star.

If Chelsea allows Palmer to leave, Manchester United or Real Madrid are ready to step in. Palmer's preference to return to Manchester would give MU an advantage. Another factor that could drive Palmer to Old Trafford is his ambition for the England national team. Tuchel recently warned that Palmer might not secure a spot for the 2026 World Cup. Before his substitution appearance in the friendly against Uruguay, Palmer had only played exactly 65 minutes in the match against Andorra under Tuchel. This situation is completely opposite to two years ago when Palmer had played 9 matches for England, including the EURO 2024 final against Spain. Missing his first World Cup in his career is something Palmer absolutely does not want.

Staying at a Chelsea that changes managers frequently may not be a wise choice for Palmer. A new destination like Manchester United could help this 23-year-old forward advance further in his career.