Former Manchester United defender, Phil Bardsley, has expressed his desire to see Chelsea attacking midfielder Cole Palmer move to Old Trafford.
Bardsley believes United should keep a close eye on Palmer’s situation at Chelsea, particularly amid suggestions that the England international has appeared unsettled at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer, who supported Manchester United as a youngster, has previously been linked with the club, with old pictures of him wearing a United shirt also fuelling speculation about a possible move to Old Trafford.
Speaking to Casinolyze, Bardsley said Palmer remains central to Chelsea’s plans but suggested that the midfielder has not appeared completely content over the past year.
“I think Cole Palmer is the key to everything Chelsea are doing but when I’ve watched him play over the last year or so he hasn’t looked like a player who is particularly happy.
He’s been going through the motions.
“Will bringing in Morgan Rogers put a smile back on Palmer’s face? He’s had injuries which were setbacks but the rumours around Manchester United were interesting.
“United would be silly not to have a real look at him if there is anything to it but the problem could have also been this Chelsea squad.”
Bardsley also pointed to Chelsea’s relatively young squad, arguing that the lack of experienced figures may have affected standards within the team.
“They’ve had a lot of inexperienced players at the club who have dropped below the standards needed without people to get tough with them and lay down what’s required and pull people in line, making sure everyone is training correctly every day.
With Chelsea having added experienced players such as Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, Bardsley suggested they could help improve the environment around Palmer.
“Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson can certainly address that but I hope they don’t turn it around to make Palmer happy where he is because I’d love to see him in a red shirt!”
Despite the speculation, Palmer remains a key figure for Chelsea, while any potential move to Manchester United would depend on whether the two clubs could reach an agreement over the highly rated midfielder.
