Chelsea star backed to join Barcelona: ‘The fans would love him’ | Football

Emile Heskey has named Barcelona as one of two possible destinations for Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer.

Palmer has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in recent months, with reports claiming he is not completely settled in west London.

The 23-year-old completed a £40m move to Chelsea in 2023 and quickly established himself as not only one of the best players at the club but in the Premier League as a whole.

Palmer’s talents were recognised at Manchester City but the fierce competition at the Etihad Stadium meant he only played 19 league games for his boyhood club before being sold.

Man City must have instantly regretted their transfer decision, however, as Palmer hit the ground running at Chelsea, scoring 27 goals and making 15 assists during his first season at the club.

While failing to hit those numbers again, Palmer has continued to impress ever since, scoring 18 goals last season as Chelsea qualified for the Champions League and won both the Conference League and Club World Cup.

This season has been more frustrating for Palmer, who has missed 11 league games due to niggly injuries and a slight dip in form.

Last month The Sun claimed Palmer was not totally settled at Chelsea and was open to a move back to Manchester, with United said to be interested in a deal.

Heskey would not be surprised if Palmer did secure a stunning move to Old Trafford but says the club he can see him at is Spanish giants Barcelona.

Asked whether he expects Palmer to stay at Chelsea for a good few more years, ex-England striker Heskey told OLBG: ‘If Cole Palmer is a Manchester United fan, probably not!

‘I could see someone like him in a Barcelona shirt. The way that he plays, the fans would love him.

‘But then again, when you’re a kid and you’re growing up, there’s things that you dream of doing as a footballer.

‘You dream of playing at a World Cup. You dream of putting on that England shirt. You dream of lifting the FA Cup. Things like that. And you dream of playing for your boyhood club.

‘So Cole will have dreams too, possibly to play for Manchester United, so I wouldn’t put it past him if he did turn up there and they did take him on.’

Manchester United largely struggled under former manager Ruben Amorim but have climbed back into the Champions League spots under caretaker boss Michael Carrick.

United’s upturn in form could earn Carrick the permanent job and Pat Nevin believes the ex-England midfielder could then persuade Palmer to make the move from Chelsea.

‘Does Cole Palmer fancy playing for Manchester United? That’s it. Nobody knows except Cole Palmer,’ Nevin told BestBettingSites.

‘If he says Manchester United, I’ve heard hints that he was a United fan as a kid. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’ve heard that was his team as a kid. That’s a draw.

‘When you look at what United are doing just now and how they’re playing, and the possibility that you might actually have stability at Manchester United, that becomes a temptation. With Michael Carrick, it just feels like a different place. It feels totally different.