Manchester United might sign the chosen successor to Bruno Fernandes next year! He wore the Red Devils jersey even in Manchester City's youth academy and idolizes Rooney.

Many Manchester United fans are aware that Bruno Fernandes will eventually need a successor, but they worry about finding the right candidate. Cole Palmer could be a rare option; although he has always worn blue, his heart remains red. The 23-year-old Palmer was born in Withington, one of Manchester’s United fan hubs, and his idol is Wayne Rooney, whom he often imitated playing in his garden as a child.

Palmer said, “Rooney is an incredible player. I used to watch a lot of football as a kid, and Rooney left the deepest impression on me. Since I was little, he has been my football hero.”

Unfortunately, Manchester United did not recruit him into their youth system back then, so Palmer chose Manchester City. However, his grandfather, Stry, told the Daily Mail that even at City’s academy, Palmer trained wearing a Manchester United shirt.

Palmer’s grandfather said, “When he first joined City, he often wore a Manchester United jersey or other clothing with the United badge underneath his sky-blue kit. He was originally a United fan, but City offered a better environment, superior training facilities, and a greater chance to develop.”

United fans don’t blame Palmer for this, as many club legends have also sent their sons to City’s academy, including current manager Carrick and youth coach Darren Fletcher. However, their sons have now returned to Carrington.

Although Palmer wore a United shirt, he maintained professionalism and never held back when playing against United. “Supporting United doesn’t affect his game,” explained Stry. “In two years playing for City’s youth team, he always dominated opponents.”

This is no exaggeration; Palmer also dominated Manchester United while playing for Chelsea’s first team. In 2024, during the 4-3 win over the Red Devils, he scored a hat-trick, including a penalty equalizer and a stoppage-time winner.

However, under Guardiola at City, Palmer never secured a place. In 2023, he transferred to Chelsea for £45 million. Reportedly, Manchester United had another chance to sign Palmer earlier when he was just 16.

Last year, Manchester United’s youth striker coach Colin Little told “Jingji Net”: “I know Palmer’s family well, including his father and uncle. Believe it or not, United almost signed 16-year-old Palmer. He hesitated at the time, but I know he’s a die-hard United fan. That was the age he could leave, and City was hesitant about keeping him but eventually offered good terms. He has always been a United fan, and the offers from both sides were close. We negotiated then.”

Now, Manchester United faces a third crossroads with Palmer. This summer or next year, the club must find a successor to captain Bruno Fernandes. The 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder’s contract expires next year, with one year of extension rights. There is also a £57 million (€65 million) release clause usable by foreign clubs.

If Bruno leaves, Palmer has the potential to fill his role. In the 2024/25 season, Palmer played 37 Premier League games, scoring 15 goals and providing 9 assists; in 2023/24, his league stats were 33 games, 22 goals, and 11 assists. These figures are quite close to Bruno’s, but Palmer still needs to prove he can maintain consistency over a longer period.

Additionally, Palmer’s “iron man” resilience doesn’t match Bruno’s. This season, he was hampered by a groin injury and started only 11 matches. He feels homesick and often returns to Manchester to visit family, fueling transfer rumors. “London is different from Manchester, both in scale and how I manage things off the pitch alone; it’s challenging,” Palmer said. He doesn’t celebrate his goals, was left out of Chelsea’s squad, and liked Bruno Fernandes’ social media post after beating Arsenal.

British media revealed that if Palmer leaves Chelsea, he won’t consider returning to Manchester City. Instead, he prefers to follow his childhood idol’s footsteps and fulfill his “Red Devil dream” at Old Trafford. United’s top management is certainly monitoring his progress, as club sporting director Jason Wilcox was responsible for signing Palmer at City’s academy.

In 2022, Wilcox even said City’s young players could one day win the Ballon d’Or. Now leading Manchester United, Wilcox dreams of Palmer wearing the Red Devils’ number 20 jersey and fulfilling that prophecy.

It won’t be easy to lure Palmer away from Stamford Bridge, and if possible, it will require a huge sum since he has seven and a half years left on his Chelsea contract, which runs until 2033, with an option for one more year. Chelsea’s new coach Liam Rosenior insists the player is not for sale and is happy at the Bridge.

“The club doesn’t need to guarantee Cole (Palmer) will stay because a transfer is unrealistic and nonsense,” Rosenior said. “The rumors have no basis and aren’t worth discussing. That’s my view. Cole is very happy here; I’ve talked to him many times. We’re thinking about how to improve the team and help him progress. He enjoys playing here and is happy to be a Chelsea player. You can’t stop rumors, but some speculation is far from the truth, so discussing it is pointless.”

Whether Manchester United ultimately signs Palmer is another matter, but he is undoubtedly a suitable candidate to succeed Bruno Fernandes. A transfer this summer is unlikely, as the Red Devils will focus on strengthening the defensive midfield with no funds for other major signings. However, next summer’s window is worth watching. If United return to the Champions League next season, they will have more funds to pay a transfer fee well over £100 million and a weekly wage of £250,000 for Palmer. Previously, United signed another number 10, Mata, from Chelsea, a Spanish midfielder who was also a United supporter. Some who grew up with Palmer believe that at some point in his career, he will yearn to realize his Red Devil dream.