Palmer to United?! Chelsea star puts an end to rumours ahead of Stamford Bridge showdown

All eyes are on Stamford Bridge this Saturday, and not just because Chelsea host Manchester United in the Premier League derby.

This one comes with a subplot.

Cole Palmer - Chelsea's poster boy, United fan as a kid, and subject of growing transfer whispers - has drawn a firm line before facing the club he once supported.

"I've got no plans to move," he said.

The speculation wasn't baseless, though, with all those Manchester ties, talk of homesickness, United's long-standing interest... It all added fuel ahead of a clash that already carries weight in the race for the top five.

However, it seems like Palmer isn't biting.

"Manchester is home, my family's there… but I don't miss it," he insisted, doubling down on his commitment to Chelsea's project, he's actively shaping alongside captain Reece James behind the scenes.

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Chelsea sit sixth, chasing a Champions League spot, with an FA Cup semi-final also looming. The margins are tight, and the pressure is rising around Palmer, too. Last season's breakout star with 27 goals, 15 assists, and a clean sweep of individual awards has looked like a different player this year. Injuries have stalled his rhythm, confidence has dipped, and the numbers have cooled.

Only 10 goals, 3 assists, and numerous questions.

A stubborn groin injury disrupted months of his campaign, forcing him to play through pain and uncertainty.

"I didn't know how to manage it," he admitted. "That's probably part of it."

Now, as Chelsea's season hits its defining stretch, Palmer insists the belief inside the squad hasn’t wavered and neither has his.

The club certainly see him as untouchable. A contract running to 2033 says as much. So do recent extensions for key figures like Moises Caicedo, which are signals that Chelsea are building, not breaking.

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Still, talk is cheap, and what matters is today's clash, because if Palmer delivers against United - the club he's been linked with, the club he once cheered - it won't just silence speculation.

It might just define the Blues' season, and prove, once again, exactly where he belongs.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 33

Saturday

14.30: (2.15) Brentford (3.60) Fulham (3.20)

17.00: (1.65) Leeds (4.10) Wolverhampton (5.20)

17.00: (2.10) Newcastle (3.90) Bournemouth (3.40)

19.30: (2.75) Tottenham (3.60) Brighton (2.45)

22.00: (2.30) Chelsea (3.85) Manchester United (3.00)

Sunday

16.00: (1.70) Aston Villa (3.60) Sunderland (5.30)

16.00: (3.00) Everton (3.40) Liverpool (2.35)

16.00: (1.50) Nottingham Forest (4.20) Burnley (6.75)

18.30: (1.85) Manchester City (3.80) Arsenal (4.05)

Monday

22.00: (2.40) Crystal Palace (3.35) West Ham (2.95)

***odds are subject to change***