Sir Jim Ratcliffe Must Break One Of His Five Man Utd Rules To Sign Cole Palmer

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have to go against one of his five Manchester United rules if he wants to sign Cole Palmer.

Since sacking Ruben Amorim, United have enjoyed an upturn in form under interim boss Michael Carrick.

The Red Devils have beaten Manchester City and Arsenal in their last two matches, climbing to fourth in the Premier League table.

Recently, United were linked with a shock move for Chelsea star Palmer, who is reportedly unsettled at Stamford Bridge.

According to a report by The Guardian, Palmer is “homesick” and “pondering a return to Manchester” in the summer of 2026, with United a likely destination rather than his former club, Manchester City.

Meanwhile, The Sun suggested that the 23-year-old is not “enjoying life down south” and “misses” his friends from Manchester.

However, if United sign Palmer, it could go against one of the five transfer rules Ratcliffe brought in at the club.

After taking over the football operation at Old Trafford, INEOS boss Ratcliffe reportedly introduced the following rules:

1. No players over the age of 25 to be signed
2. No ‘Galacticos’
3. Technical director Jason Wilcox will set the style of play
4. The manager will be asked what positions he wants to sign, rather than individual players
5. The manager will then have a list of three potential signings per position to choose from

Palmer is one of the biggest names in the Premier League and, according to Transfermarkt, has a transfer value of around €120 million.

As a result, the 23-year-old will likely cost a huge sum in transfer fees and wages, meaning he could fall into the category of a 'Galactico'.

Cole Palmer has been linked with a move to Manchester United. Image: Getty

What did Liam Rosenior say about Cole Palmer's future?

Speaking ahead of last weekend's match against Crystal Palace, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior was asked about Palmer.

He said: "I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole and he seems very happy to be here, he is very happy to be here.

"He’s a huge part of our plans in the long term. He’s an outstanding player. Every player goes through difficult moments in their career in terms of injury. It’s not any reflection of his quality."