Paul Merson has explained why it is not inconceivable that Chelsea “will sell” Cole Palmer if an offer of £100m came their way and amid suggestions made by Jamie Carragher that the former Manchester City man is a future Manchester United player.
While the Blues have bludgeoned their way through well over £1bn in transfer fees since Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and their BlueCo partners bought out Chelsea two summers ago, it is the signing of Palmer that has proved the club’s best pieces of business. Having struggled to find a place in the City side under Pep Guardiola, Palmer made the move to Stamford Bridge for a fee that ultimately topped £42.5m (€50.5m, $56.1m).
The 22-year-old has not looked back since, playing a part in 41 goals (26 goals, 15 assists) from 48 games in his debut season to see Palmer crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year and also earning a place in England’s squad for the European Championships.
Having signed a mammoth nine-year contract upon his arrival last summer, the Blues have shown a long commitment to the star, and in the last few days the London side have also moved to extend the deal of another of last summer’s signings, Nicolas Jackson, who is now also signed up at Stamford Bridge until summer 2033.
However, Merson is sceptical that either Palmer or Jackson will stay anywhere near that length of time and reckons that sizeable offers for either would see them cash in on the pair.
Merson said on Sky Sports: “They just need to worry about results on the pitch, but I still don’t know the plan. I still don’t know the plan.
“Nicolas Jackson is there until 2033. If Jackson scores 25 goals next season, they will sell him. That’s the whole idea.
“If Cole Palmer becomes unbelievable and keeps on doing what he is doing, then he will be a £100m player. They will sell him for £100m. That’s how it works, they don’t want all these players to run their contracts out.”
Cole Palmer to Man Utd? Carragher explains why a move could happen
Merson’s suggestions come hot off the back of a claim by his Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher, who just last month suggested that Manchester United would target Palmer for a future return to his north-west roots.
Explaining his theory and why a move could come about, Carragher told The Overlap: “Something’s just come to me here…
“If Chelsea have another poor season, we were talking earlier about Manchester United having a real problem on that right wing.
“He [Palmer] is a big Man Utd fan, isn’t he? Would that not be something that United should visit maybe in 12 months if it doesn’t go well?
“You know what, I think that could happen. Yeah, Cole Palmer to Man Utd.”
Palmer thrived under the management of Mauricio Pochettino last season and already has a goal and four assists under his successor, Enzo Maresca, this season.
However, Palmer found the going a little tougher against Bournemouth on Saturday evening, when he was largely nullified and fouled four times during the game.
Maresca says the 22-year-old may have to start getting used to such treatment as he becomes a marked man.
“These kind of players are probably going to have these things,” Maresca said. “[Lewis] Cook was marking him for 95 minutes man-to-man before we put him wide. It is not easy for Cole or any player. You need to find a different solution.”
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