This season, Cole Palmer has been plagued by injury troubles at Chelsea and has also seemingly found himself in a slump on the pitch. There is a viewpoint that has identified the core issue behind Palmer’s situation.
For months, every game has been filled with question marks for the 23-year-old Palmer. Since returning from a groin injury that sidelined him starting December 3 last year, his playing time at Chelsea has gradually increased. He has featured in the subsequent eight Premier League matches and played the full 90 minutes against Manchester City this month and Brentford last weekend.
However, the process is seemingly not yet fully complete. After missing the midweek Champions League match against Pafos, he is expected to return for Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace following an assessment of his “training response.” Next, Chelsea face a crucial Champions League clash with Napoli on Wednesday, but whether Palmer can start in this game remains unknown. He has only started once in the Champions League this season – the away game against Bayern Munich last September – and has no appearances in other cup competitions.
The issue with Palmer is not just whether he will play, but whether he can play freely. In last week’s game against Brentford, he scored his fifth goal of the season and completed 90 minutes, but it was not his most fluid or unrestrained performance.
He himself is well aware of this, as evident from his body language. His goal celebration was somewhat restrained, and he sat on the grass with a pained expression after the final whistle. Despite Chelsea’s fortunate 2-0 victory in that match, Palmer’s frustration was plain to see. There have since been rumors that the Manchester-born player may be homesick, especially considering he is reportedly a Manchester United fan.
Chelsea’s new manager Enzo Maresca stated that Palmer’s frustration in the Brentford game was not because he was unhappy, but because he could not reach the level he desired. Palmer felt a slight strain in the Brentford match, unrelated to his previous groin issue. But it is still worrying to see such a talented English player take the pitch with an injury again, especially with the World Cup approaching.
This viewpoint is also echoed within the England national team. Thomas Tuchel faces a dilemma in the number 10 position, with Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers all competing for the same spot. But for Palmer, he is still regarded as a very important player and will be in consideration for the national team as long as he is fit. This is not surprising, as he has proven his ability on the big stage. But he needs to stay fit, and it is unclear when Palmer will fully recover.
Palmer’s issues first emerged last September, when he was substituted after just 20 minutes in Chelsea’s 1-2 loss to Manchester United, having already missed two games due to injury. The West London club then decided to withdraw him from the first team for six weeks after the October international break to allow him to rest. During Palmer’s gradual return, his coach Enzo Maresca claimed the Englishman was temporarily unable to play twice a week, fearing he would need careful minutes management like Wesley Fofana and Reece James. The idea of surgery has always been on the table, but Maresca said it is not a current option.
Palmer has been pushing hard. England has a training camp in March, followed by the World Cup. This is clearly a key milestone, even though there are still two months of matches before the World Cup begins. But as the countdown ticks on, England and Chelsea, as well as Tuchel and Maresca, all hope he can return to his best form as soon as possible.
