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Man City respond as Chelsea submit opening transfer bid for Cole Palmer
Chelsea have made their move for Manchester City winger Cole Palmer.
Chelsea are believed to have seen an opening bid rejected by Manchester City for Cole Palmer. The Blues have launched a shock move for 21-year-old forward after Pep Guardiola refused to provide assurances that he'd be staying with the treble-winners beyond the transfer deadline.
Palmer wants to play regular football and Guardiola is unable to provide assurances of minutes to the highly-rated attacker despite the departure of Riyah Mahrez.
The Guardian are now reporting that City have rejected an opening bid worth £35m from Chelsea for Palmer.
West Ham and Brighton had been targeting the winger earlier in the transfer window but failed to make progress in their pursuit of the England U21 starlet.
Now it looks as though Chelsea are prepared to up the pressure on City and test their stance over a sale.
Guardiola recently said after his player netted in the Super Cup triumph over Sevilla in Greece: "The opinion I had when he arrived is he wanted to leave, but now I don't know what's going to happen.
"I don't think a loan is going to happen. He's going to stay or going to sell, but I think a loan is not going to happen."
The Spaniard later added: "I understand he wants to be more active than the previous season.
"But Riyad [Mahrez] has gone so we have one more place there. I cannot say anything because, of course, all the decisions need to be made by the club. The club has to decide what the best is. All together, we will do it."
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Guardiola also said after Palmer netted in the Community Shield against Arsenal that conversations needed to be had between the club and his agents.
Phil Foden has even struggled for starts this season at City and that does not bode well for Palmer, who is below Foden in City's attacking pecking order.
City may also understandably be reluctant to sell Palmer to a rival in Chelsea - even if the Blues are not considered to be a firm threat in the Premier League title race.
The champions are also working to finalise the signing of Matheus Nunes from Wolves.
The box-to-box midfielder missed training again on Wednesday as he attempts to force through the transfer.
Guardiola has been a fan of Nunes since his Sporting days when he called the Portuguese maestro "one of the best players in the world".
Any deal for Nunes could see Tommy Doyle head in the other direction to Wolves.
City have already signed one attacker this summer in the form of Jeremy Doku.