‘Chelsea face Cole Palmer absence as new squad update emerges’
Enzo Maresca could be without star player Cole Palmer in the coming weeks as Chelsea prepare to end a tricky season on a high.
The 22-year-old has been a rising star at Stamford Bridge ever since making the move from Man City during the summer of 2023, now boasting 39 goals and 24 assists across the two campaigns.
It is no coincidence that the Blues’ poor run of results has coincided with the star’s significant drop in form, but Palmer finally looks back to his best following the 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, 4 May.
Maresca’s side are aiming for Champions League qualification, battling against Man City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, but it is the Club World Cup which has emerged as a concern.
Palmer has not yet left his mark with England boss Thomas Tuchel, but could still be called up for the next two fixtures in June, which would potentially leave the Blues training without their star player before heading to America.
Cole Palmer to miss Club World Cup preparations for England camp
Chelsea have four players – Palmer, Reece James, Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke – who could be called up by Tuchel for matches against Andorra and Senegal ahead of the Club World Cup in America.
It was anticipated that players scheduled to take part in the summer competition might be released early from international duty following the Andorra match, but the German could be leaning against that.
According to The Telegraph (5 May), however, the Blues do not plan to make any special requests for the early release of their stars, instead abiding by Tuchel’s wishes, which could also impact Man City who kick off their tournament slightly later.
Should those selected remain with the Three Lions for the entirety of the camp, they could meet up with their teammates just five days before their opening Club World Cup game against Leon in Atalanta.
Enzo Maresca focused on remaining 2024/25 fixtures before the summer tournament
Football Insider verdict
While the Club World Cup will be a brilliant chance for financial gain during the summer, Maresca should probably be far more focused on finishing the current campaign on a high.
Maresca’s future could very much depend on Chelsea qualifying for the Champions League this term, even with his team expected to lift the Europa Conference League based on the teams in the competition.
| Premier League standings | Points |
| 3. Man City | 64 |
| 4. Newcastle United | 63 |
| 5. Chelsea | 63 |
| 6. Nottingham Forest | 60 |
| 7. Aston Villa | 60 |
Luckily for the Italian, Palmer seems to have rediscovered his form from earlier in the campaign just at the right moment, with Madueke, Enzo Fernandez, and Moises Caicedo firing on all cylinders.
The Blues have only lost one of their last nine matches, and more importantly, they have remained in the top-five spots in the Premier League, but three matches remain.
Maresca’s side must still face Newcastle and Forest, as well as Man United, with the former two also battling for Champions League qualification, so anything can happen in the final few weeks.