Man United change stance on “magnificent” PL star

Manchester United have had a quiet January transfer window but are expected to continue their rebuild in the summer.

Despite a lack of incomings, it has been a transformative start to 2026 for the Red Devils, as they parted ways with Ruben Amorim at the beginning of the month, and former player Michael Carrick has taken on the interim role.

United are unbeaten under their temporary boss, winning their Premier League games against Arsenal and Manchester City, so confidence and momentum are high at Old Trafford.

It has been heavily reported that the focus is on a midfield rebuild in the summer, with the club set to target several Premier League stars in their efforts to bring success back to the club in the long term.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton are all players who have been named as potential targets for the summer.

There were reports in recent weeks that United were also targeting a move for Chelsea star Cole Palmer; however, there is a new update on their stance.

According to The Mirror, Manchester United will not be signing the England international this summer, as he is out of their price range.

The publication claims it can exclusively reveal that the priority is to sign a world-class defensive midfielder, and the acquisition of an attacking midfielder is not currently on their agenda.

It is further noted that it would cost around £100m to secure Palmer’s signature, alongside a £250k-a-week salary package.

There is no doubt that Palmer is one of the brightest stars in the Premier League and would have a significant impact on the attacking threat of any top side.

However, Man United have earned a reputation for overspending and stockpiling several attacking players on high wages, and are determined to change the trajectory of their investments.

Instead, they will focus on replacing players like Casemiro with long-term prospects in priority positions, helping them to build a more consistent and positive future for the club.

While it is reported that Palmer is desperate to return to his native North West, it would be unlikely that United would sanction such a move, particularly with the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo thriving at the moment.

Indeed, this does not rule out a potential move in the future, but in the immediate, it is unlikely that United would swoop in or that Chelsea would allow Palmer to leave without lucrative compensation.

The talented 23-year-old – hailed “magnificent” by Liam Rosenior – is, therefore, expected to remain in West London for the foreseeable future, with Man United instead prioritising balance and long-term structure over another marquee attacking signing.

With that being said, it is clear that United’s current rebuild points firmly towards a strict, targeted approach to recruitment rather than headline-grabbing deals.

Focusing on fixing the foundations must come before chasing star names, even those of Palmer’s calibre.

Rebekka Arnold is an experienced writer with a strong background in digital media, PR and football journalism.

Since 2021, Rebekka has written opinion pieces and match reaction content for Football Fancast, part of the Snack Media network, building on her growing presence in the football community through viral Twitter content and podcasting.

Now at Transfer Tavern, Rebekka brings her sharp eye for analysis and deep passion for the game to deliver engaging football opinion and breaking transfer news content.

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