Gary Neville has stated that Cole Palmer would be 'gold' for Manchester United if the Chelsea star were to make a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023 for a fee of £40 million, Palmer has rapidly developed into one of the most exciting attacking players in the Premier League. The 24-year-old has become a central figure for the Blues, who are now under the management of Spanish coach Xabi Alonso, following a 10th-place finish last season under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

Reports suggest that Chelsea view Palmer as 'untouchable' and are confident that he remains content in west London despite an injury-hit campaign. The club’s position is further strengthened by the fact that Palmer still has seven years left on his current contract.

Nevertheless, there have been ongoing whispers that the Wythenshawe-born midfielder would be open to a return to Manchester – but only to the red half of the city.

Manchester United are said to hold a strong interest in the England international, although the presence of Bruno Fernandes, the team’s captain, and last summer’s £71 million signing, Bryan Mbeumo, means manager Michael Carrick already has two key players who occupy Palmer’s preferred roles.

Despite that, Neville remains convinced that Palmer would thrive at Old Trafford because of his proven Premier League pedigree – the same factor that led INEOS to pursue Mbeumo – and his capacity to become the focal point at a major club.

“I liked the signings of [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo last summer because they had already proven themselves in the Premier League. They weren’t 'gold', but there was less risk involved since they had experience in the league, were still young, and had plenty of hunger,” Neville told Rio Ferdinand.

“Those types of signings are smart. There’s been talk about Cole Palmer, and that’s the kind of move that could be gold for Manchester United if he joined Old Trafford.”

However, Neville also admitted that such a move seems unlikely: “I don’t think it’ll happen, though. I expect Chelsea to hold onto him. Players of that calibre rarely become available – it only happens every few years.”

The former United defender believes that targeting players like Palmer would align perfectly with Sir Alex Ferguson’s philosophy of signing the best talent from within the Premier League.

Neville cited Harry Kane and Declan Rice – England’s captain and vice-captain for this summer’s World Cup – as examples of players Ferguson would have made sure ended up at United, much like he did with Ferdinand himself years ago.

“Harry Kane would have been that kind of signing for United – that would have been gold. You [Ferdinand] came from Leeds, Wazza [Rooney] arrived from Everton, Roy Keane joined from Nottingham Forest – all of those were gold signings,” Neville explained.

“Declan Rice was the same before he joined Arsenal. Those types of players are guaranteed successes; they’re certainties who end up looking like bargains. If Sir Alex Ferguson were still managing Manchester United, he would have ensured Harry Kane came to Old Trafford. Declan Rice too – Sir Alex would have been all over those two.”

While INEOS are prioritising a major midfield overhaul this summer, a high-profile move for Palmer does not appear to be a top priority. However, United are actively pursuing reinforcements for the left wing and the No.9 position, indicating that the addition of an elite attacker remains a possibility – especially since Mbeumo has shown versatility across both flanks and as a central striker.

If Palmer, a lifelong Manchester United supporter, were to exchange west London for a return to his roots in the north-west, it would undoubtedly cause a major stir across English football – and likely earn a nod of approval from a certain Scottish legend.