Jamie Carragher has suggested Cole Palmer might make a jaw-dropping switch to Manchester United within the next year, despite the attacker's stunning inaugural season with Chelsea.
Bagging 25 goals last season across all competitions, the youngster scooped up accolades including Premier League Young Player of the Season and the PFA accolades for both Fans' Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.
However, Chelsea's rocky season as a team, culminating in a sixth-place finish under Mauricio Pochettino who was replaced by Enzo Maresca, has led Carragher to speculate on Palmer's future at Stamford Bridge.
On The Overlap with Sky Bet, Carragher pondered: "Something's just come to me here. If Chelsea have another poor season, we were talking earlier about Manchester United having a real problem on that right wing."
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"He [Palmer] is a big Man United fan isn't he? Would that not be something that United should visit maybe in 12 months if it doesn't go well? You know what, I think that could happen. Yeah, Cole Palmer to Man United."
While fans might be buzzing about this prospect, the reality seems far-fetched at present, as Palmer recently inked a mammoth nine-year contract with Chelsea, keeping him there until 2033.
With an apparent pay rise following his new commitment, Palmer voiced his delight: "I'm delighted to sign this new deal."
"I achieved a lot in my first season here and hopefully I can continue to experience great things at this club, both on a personal level and in terms of bringing success and trophies to Chelsea."
United are laying down a marker in the transfer market ahead of Erik ten Hag's third season in charge.
Their defence has seen significant reinforcements, starting with the capture of Leny Yoro from Lille and bolstered by swooping for Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in a stellar double deal.
Upfront, their ranks have grown with the addition of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna. The Dutch striker made an instant impact, bagging the decisive goal in his first outing against Fulham.
As for Palmer, he is waiting for his first goal of the season after Chelsea lost to his old Manchester City on the opening weekend.
