£32m Chelsea star is everything Manchester United duo are not ahead of Sunday showdown

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If Manchester United could sign one player from Chelsea, they would probably choose Cole Palmer.

Not much explanation is needed. Cole Palmer has been one of the best players in the Premier League, perhaps the best, since joining Chelsea from Manchester City last September.

However, the attacking midfielder is not the only Chelsea star this struggling United side could do with.

Enzo Maresca refused to bring Palmer on against Newcastle United on Wednesday, so the 22-year-old should be fresh for Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford.

• READ MORE: Newcastle defender Dan Burn delivers verdict on Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson after playing against him

Nicolas Jackson outperforming Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee

Some United fans would have viewed Nicolas Jackson as a bit of a joke last season after all of the chances that he missed for Chelsea.

Yet the 23-year-old is one of the next players in Chelsea’s team that the Red Devils would take all day long.

While Jackson did miss some good chances last term, he still managed to score 14 goals in the Premier League, whereas Rasmus Hojlund could only register 10.

In Hojlund’s defence, the 21-year-old did play five fewer league games than Jackson. But the Senegal international cost way less than him, with Chelsea paying Villarreal just £32m for his services.

In contrast, United forked out £72m to bring in Hojlund from Atalanta. As for Joshua Zirkzee, he cost around the same amount as Jackson but has not performed anywhere near his level this season.

The Dutchman has scored just one goal in the Premier League so far, while Jackson already has six. Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster doesn’t think Jackson gets enough praise.

Nicolas Jackson almost complete package

Again, Jackson was wasteful at times during the 2023/24 campaign. It is quite clear that his finishing can improve.

But with his overall game being terrific, you can say that the former Villarreal man is almost, almost the complete package.

Jackson can run, dribble, hold the ball up and bring his teammates into play. As per FBref, Jackson has ranked in the 89th percentile for successful take-ons among forwards over the last year.

“The relationship they have between them is excellent,” Micah Richards said when discussing Jackson and Palmer’s combination play. Jackson is everything United need Hojlund and Zirkzee to be.