Cole Palmer has made his feelings clear on the rumours linking Manchester United youngster and England teammate Kobbie Mainoo with a shock move to Chelsea.
The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that the Blues are "leading the race" for Mainoo, whose representatives “have reached a stalemate in contract talks” with United.
The 19-year-old midfielder, who signed a contract extension last year keeping him at Old Trafford until 2027, has been negotiating a new deal to better reflect his role as a first-team regular and England international.
The Mail claims United want to drive down their wage bill, however, and the budget squeeze has "hampered negotiations with Mainoo," meaning he could be sold either this month or in the summer.
Amid the links with Chelsea, an Instagram account by the username "thesecretscout1" uploaded an edited image on Mainoo in a Chelsea shirt.
The picture has been liked by over 8,000 people, one of whom is none other than Palmer.
Mainoo and Palmer played alongside each other on four occasions as England made it to the final of last summer's European Championships, including in the semi-final win over the Netherlands, in which Palmer set up the winning goal.
The two also recently shared the cover of British GQ Magazine, sitting down to talk about their fledgling careers and interests off the pitch.
In that interview, Mainoo said when talking about Palmer and England: "It would be sick to play together for a long time.”
Could Mainoo really head to Chelsea?
Everything Chelsea says...
Mainoo being linked with Chelsea is clearly an attempt from his representatives to leverage position in negotiating a new deal with United.
That being said, however, if they really can't reach a deal (which they probably will), it's not unfathomable to see Mainoo jumping ship, especially given United's poor season.
Not only would he get the wages he wants, but it would also improve his chances of playing Champions League football and being a key figure for England again at the 2026 World Cup.
It's unclear whether the Blues would want him, but being both young and talented, Mainoo certainly fits the archetype for a Chelsea signing.
Palmer, do your thing.
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