Skip to content
Transfer

Cole Palmer: Chelsea close to signing Manchester City winger in deal worth £40m

Chelsea are close to finalising a £40m deal with Manchester City for the permanent signing of forward Cole Palmer; Pep Guardiola said this summer that a loan move away from the club would not suit the player

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

As Chelsea move closer to finalising an agreement with Manchester City's Cole Palmer, Paul Merson says that City doesn't see them as a threat considering the potential transfer.

Chelsea are close to finalising an agreement with Manchester City for the permanent signing of forward Cole Palmer.

One source has told Sky Sports News Palmer is expected to have a medical on Thursday.

The deal is worth in the region of £40m.

Should the deal go through it would take the spending at Chelsea under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership to £1.02bn.

It will also take their spending this summer alone to £419m. In over five years and 11 transfer windows under Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs only spent £412m.

Cole Palmer wheels away to celebrate after opening the scoring for Man City against Arsenal in the Community Shield
Image: Palmer could find his way out of Manchester City

Palmer played in the Premier League opener against Burnley and was on the bench for the last two games.

The 21-year-old, who scored in the Community Shield against Arsenal and UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, is pushing for more first-team opportunities.

Also See:

Manchester United have made an offer to Chelsea for defender Marc Cucurella, with discussions ongoing between the two clubs.

The talks centre around a loan deal for the 25-year-old Spanish left-back.

Speaking after Chelsea's 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup, Pochettino said: "I don't know anything. When he is training with us he is in our plans, but if things happen it's the decision of the club."

When pressed on there being any truth in an agreement being reached with Manchester City for Palmer, Pochettino added: "I don't know anything at the moment."

What's next for Palmer?

Manchester City's Cole Palmer celebrates with trophy after winning the UEFA Super Cup Final soccer match between Manchester City and Sevilla at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus port, near Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Image: Palmer scored during the UEFA Super Cup final

Sky Sports' Joe Shread:

Stay or go? A crucial few weeks lie ahead for Manchester City winger Cole Palmer, weeks that could define how far his blossoming career will go.

The 21-year-old has certainly showcased his talents in City blue this season, scoring both of his side's goals in their Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup games this month.

Both goals demonstrated his wide range of talents: at Wembley he curled a stunning effort past Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, while his header against Sevilla in midweek showed another side to his game.

Cole Palmer equalised for Man City in the second half of the UEFA Super Cup
Image: Palmer equalised for Man City against Sevilla

Add in his role in helping England's U21 side to a European Championship triumph earlier this summer and it's clear Palmer has the winning touch about him.

But with both the player and manager Pep Guardiola casting doubts about the winger's future, will that winning aura be with City, or another team?

Read the feature in full here

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will be on the move in the final days of the transfer window before it closes at 11pm on Friday September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.

Win £250,000 with Super 6!
Win £250,000 with Super 6!

Correctly predict six scorelines to win £250,000 for free with Super 6. Entries by 3pm Saturday.