The former Manchester City prospect was in play when he was 16 years of age.
Little recalled on the Talk of the Devils podcast: “I know Cole Palmer’s family quite well, I know his dad and his uncle.
“We (Man United) were close to getting Cole Palmer when he was about 16, believe it or not.
“He was umming and ahhing, and I knew he was a big United fan. He was at that age where you’re allowed to leave, 16 is it? They were umming and ahhing, Man City, about it.
“I think City, in the end, made him a good enough offer, but really he was always a United fan, and it was close, I remember speaking.
“I think City needed to show him a bit more love and that kind of stuff. We never quite got it over the line, but it would’ve been nice if we did, wouldn’t it?”