While the London giants are very much in the hunt for European places, sitting sixth with 34 points through 22 matches, there is a clear feeling within the club that they should be achieving more.

The Blues sacked manager Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day and hired Liam Rosenior from BlueCo’s sister club Strasbourg, hoping the coach they developed in France can carry them higher than the Italian could.

Part of their struggles this season can also be attributed to the absence of star Cole Palmer, who has been injured for much of the campaign and struggled for form amid those fitness difficulties. It’s been a frustrating season for the former Manchester City player, who has scored just four times in the Premier League in 2025/26 without registering a single assist.

It has now reached a stage where Palmer, who has managed only five league goals in 12 months, is being linked with a fresh start at Manchester United.

The Jugo Mobile has the latest on what we know about Palmer’s potential transfer prospects, and why he has been linked with a move away in the first place.

Cole Palmer to Man United: Why transfer talk has grown

As rumours of Palmer’s unhappiness at Chelsea simmered on social media, The Sun reported on January 22 that the player may be looking to find his way out of Stamford Bridge.

The report claimed that Palmer “does not particularly enjoy life down south and misses his friends from back home” according to unnamed sources. Palmer was born in Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester and lived in the city region before his transfer to Chelsea in 2023.

The suggestions that he is unsettled in London, combined with his lack of consistent form and fitness this season, have led to rumours that he could return to his roots.

Cole Palmer 🥶 pic.twitter.com/6ZIoW7Y68j

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) December 15, 2025

Palmer has been linked with a potential move to Manchester United, because of his connections to the club and their need for a player of his calibre. However, this still seems extremely far from a move that would come to fruition — as does a return to City, the club where he was trained.

Chelsea boss Rosenior insisted that Palmer is “a huge part of our long-term plans” and “an outstanding player” — one he insisted was not unhappy at the club.

“I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole and he seems, and is, very, very happy to be here,” Rosenior said.

“Every player goes through difficult moments in their career with injuries, but that is no indication of his quality.”

Is Cole Palmer a Man United fan?

Being from Wythenshawe in the south of Greater Manchester, Palmer grew up in the shadow of Old Trafford. Well… okay, not exactly, but his hometown is closer to the United stadium than that of Manchester City.

He has gone on record saying his idol as a child was Wayne Rooney, United’s former captain and all-time record goal-scorer, and there are pictures available online of a young Palmer in a Red Devils kit.

Despite this, Palmer joined the Manchester City academy in 2010 at the age of eight, progressing all the way through the youth teams until his first-team debut in September of 2020 at 18 years of age.

Does Cole Palmer have a release clause?

After joining Chelsea in the summer of 2023, Palmer signed a new Chelsea contract just one year later in August of 2024.

There was speculation shortly after it was signed that the new deal included a conditional release clause that would trigger in the event that Chelsea failed to qualify for the Champions League, but Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports a month later refuted those reports, saying Chelsea’s incentive-based contracts “do not offer this type of release clause”.

This very specific language from Jacobs does not rule out the possibility that Palmer does have some other type of release clause that is either consistently active or becomes active on a certain date, but that is believed to be unlikely at this point.

Cole Palmer contract length, salary at Chelsea

Palmer’s latest contract signed in August of 2024 tied him to the club for a whopping nine years, not expiring until June 30 of 2033.

This is consistent with Chelsea’s recent contract strategy under BlueCo, targeting long-term contracts for their newly signed or extended players in order to amortise the costs over a longer period of time and mitigate the yearly hit to their books.

Palmer’s contract makes him one of the top earners at Chelsea. He reportedly makes £130,000 ($177,400 / €150,000) per week or £7.8m ($10.6m / €9m) per year in base salary plus significant incentives that can drive his earnings much higher with both individual and team success.

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Liam Rosenior’s side were forced to bide their time, waiting until the 78th minute for Moises Caicedo to score the only goal of the game.

Although Chelsea’s squad is stacked with youthful attacking talent, there is a notable dip in firepower when Cole Palmer is not around or isn’t on top form.

This has been a problem frequently this season, with Palmer often appearing a shadow of the player whose brilliant first-half brace helped to down Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final in July.

Here, we look at what’s going on for Palmer and what it might mean for Chelsea’s battle across several fronts during the second half of this season.

Is Cole Palmer injured?

Rosenior explained Palmer missed out on the Pafos game because he felt some tightness in his thigh. He is expected to return for Chelsea’s Premier League match at Crystal Palace on January 25.

This latest lay-off for the 23-year-old comes after he completed 90 minutes and scored a game-sealing penalty in the 2-0 win over Brentford last weekend. Rosenior embraced an exhausted Palmer at the end of the game and explained that a lack of time on the training field meant his attacking playmaker had gone above and beyond.

Cole has been shortlisted for the #PL Goal of the Season award! 🥇

Vote for Palmer now! 🥶

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 28, 2025

“If you watch the last 15 minutes of the game and you watch the energy he puts into his press, his running for the team, I thought he was outstanding,” the recently installed Chelsea head coach said. “It’s impossible for any player or any team to be magnificent with the ball in every game, but you can still find a way to win.

“The other thing I would say about Cole, and Reece James as well, they have not trained. I couldn’t play them against Arsenal [Chelsea’s 3-2 home defeat in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal]. 

“I am so proud of them because they put themselves up and they ran themselves into the ground. They have had no training time with the knocks they picked up, which shows me a fantastic attitude, and the more games and the more training sessions they get now, the better they will perform.”

Cole Palmer’s reduced Chelsea playing time explained

A key flashpoint as Enzo Maresca’s spell as Chelsea head coach hurtled towards a conclusion was the Italian tactician butting heads with the club’s medical department over managing the playing load of first-team stars.

Chelsea have had to be particularly careful with Palmer this season on account of the groin injury that was the main reason for him being sidelined from September to December.

Before that extended lay-off, Palmer also missed Chelsea’s second and third Premier League games of the season versus West Ham and Fulham due to groin soreness. He made a goal-scoring return from the bench in a 2-2 draw with Brentford before being substituted when the problem flared up more severely during a chaotic September defeat at Manchester United.

Getty

Palmer’s return from his groin injury was briefly put back a little further when he suffered a broken toe in an accident at home. That meant he could play no part in the 3-0 home win over Barcelona in the Champions League. Since his goalscoring contribution in a 3-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on the opening matchday, Palmer has not featured in Europe’s top competition.

His workload continues to be carefully managed. The Brentford home game was his 13th appearance of 2025/26 and only the fourth time he had completed 90 minutes. As of January 22, he has five goals, with two of those from the penalty spot.

A thigh complaint also kept Palmer out of Rosenior’s first game at the helm — a 5-1 win at Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup. When the Chelsea boss recently said,  “It would be crazy for me to risk any player in this phase of the season”, it was widely interpreted as a reference to Palmer.

How much did Chelsea pay for Cole Palmer?

Chelsea signed Palmer from Manchester City on September 1, 2023, for an initial £40 million ($50.6 million), with the deal rising to £42.5m ($53.9m)with performance-related add-ons.

Palmer came through the youth ranks at City and scored six goals in 41 appearances, with two of those coming in the month prior to his departure in the Community Shield versus Arsenal and against Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.

However, just three of his 13 starts for Pep Guardiola’s side came in the Premier League.

Does Cole Palmer have a release clause?

Palmer signed an extended contract at Chelsea in August 2024, committing himself to the Stamford Bridge club until June 2033. Despite speculation to the contrary, there is no known release clause within these terms.

In February 2025, journalist Ben Jacobs stated that Palmer nor any other Chelsea player has a contract clause that would allow them to leave for a set fee in the event of failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Rumours that Palmer might be unsettled were compounded by a January 2026 report from The Sun, which claimed the player did not enjoy London life and missed his friends back in Manchester.

In January 2024, Palmer told Sky Sports that he never wanted to leave City and Maresca was touted as a possible successor to Guardiola during the final weeks of his Chelsea reign. Similarly, such talk might pique the interest of Manchester United, who Palmer supported as a boy.

The post Is Cole Palmer Facing Injuries? Understanding the Chelsea and England Star’s Decline in Playing Time appeared first on Jugo Mobile.

Palmer has proved to be an astute signing for Chelsea since joining them from Manchester City two years ago and has undoubtedly established himself as the team’s main man.

Despite the attacking quality signed this summer, the England international is still Chelsea’s go-to player.

Although Palmer has struggled for form since the second half of last season, he has shown time and again that he shows up when it matters the most.

The 23-year-old was named man of the match in both the Conference League final, and Club World Cup final as he stole the show.

However, Palmer hasn’t had the best start to the season and has only featured in one of Chelsea’s opening three league matches.

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Florent Malouda’s fitness advice to Cole Palmer

The England international featured against Crystal Palace, but missed the wins against West Ham and Fulham through injury.

He pulled up before the start of the game against the Hammers and is expected to return to action after the international break.

As Palmer continues to recover from his injury, Malouda has offered him some fitness advice.

“Cole Palmer is the key player,” he said as quoted on X.

“He has proven he has the shoulders for this. Now it’s about building his physique to play every game. Every time he’s fit, he’s an impact player with a big impact on positive results.

“We definitely need him. When we play a team, they almost always try to block Cole Palmer and his impact on the result.”

While Chelsea eagerly look forward to Palmer’s return, they aren’t quite missing him at the moment.

The Blues have the necessary strength and depth to cope with Palmer’s absence as other players have stepped up to the plate.

Joao Pedro has excelled in the number ten role in the last two games, whilst Chelsea also have great quality out wide.

Chelsea news and related links

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EA FC 26 Chelsea Ratings (Leaked)

Based on leaks from ‘FutSheriff’ on X, here are the FC 26 ratings of every Chelsea player:

The leaked ratings are largely positive as far as the Blues are concerned, although some Chelsea fans might be disappointed by the limited nature of the upgrades. At the top of the pack sits Cole Palmer, who was the club’s talisman throughout last season. The England international racked up a respectable goal tally and also delivered clutch performances in both the Conference League and Club World Cup finals.

Joining him at the top is Chelsea stalwart, Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian has been an unrelenting presence in the Blues’ midfield, dominating domestic leaderboards for interceptions, tackles, and possession wins. As a result, the midfielder has been awarded a +5 upgrade in FC 26.

Speaking of stalwarts, Marc Cucurella has been unbelievable since his Euros-winning campaign with Spain. The fullback is consistently among the first names on the teamsheet, with a reputation for being dogged, determined, and dynamic. Thanks to a ratings boost, he’s all set to earn Gold Rare status in the upcoming title.

Other major upgrades to speak of include the Brazilian duo of Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos. The former’s arrival in the summer went under the radar until his talent burst onto the scene at the Club World Cup. Joao Pedro’s uncharacteristic goal-scoring streak sees his jump to 79. As for Andrey Santos, the 21-year-old was among the best midfielders in the Ligue 1 last year, which is why he’s been handed a remarkable +7 increase.

The most controversial rating on the list belongs to club captain Reece James. Despite impressing almost every time he takes to the pitch, the fullback is poised for a downgrade. This is likely due to his injury record, which saw James miss large portions of the last season. But fans will still feel that the deduction is a bit harsh.

Nevertheless, these changes drastically improve Chelsea’s in-game status, especially when compared to FC 25. They still don’t boast high enough ratings to compete with the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona, but Ultimate Team players will certainly be eyeing the likes of Palmer, Caicedo, and Cucurella for their squads.

And that wraps up our guide on all leaked Chelsea ratings in FC 26 so far. If you’re looking for the highest-rated cards in the game, be sure to check out our Icons guide.

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However, the Blues have been dealt a blow before kick-off as three of their players have been ruled out of the game.

Most importantly, the Chelsea management and fans have been sweating over the fitness of their talisman, Cole Palmer, who picked up an injury during the warm-up before their last game against West Ham United on Friday night.

Palmer underwent a scan of his groin to diagnose the extent of his injury, and fortunately, it’s not as bad as first feared.

However, there was a feeling that the game against Fulham might just have come a bit too soon for him.

Though Palmer was replaced by Estevao Willian, who put in an impressive display on the night, the fans would like to have the English international back as soon as possible.

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Chelsea confirm whether Palmer will be fit to face Fulham on Saturday

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Blues head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed that Palmer, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile won’t play against Fulham this weekend due to injury.

“Cole is out. Also, Benoit is out, and Romeo is out. The rest are all okay,” Maresca said, as quoted by Chelsea’s official website.

“Cole we need to see day by day, and the other two I don’t think are going to be back after the international break. But they are going to be closer.”

While Palmer’s absence is a big blow to the team, they showed that they can find ways to win even without him and Maresca will be hoping for a similar performance against the Cottagers.

Now that Palmer’s absence from the game has been confirmed, one can expect Chelsea to name an unchanged line-up from last week, with Estevao Willian playing as an attacking midfielder behind Liam Delap.

Chelsea news and related links

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The Blues will be looking to continue their free-scoring ways after they came from behind to beat West Ham at the London Stadium 5-1 last Friday.

Meanwhile, the Cottagers will come into the game with some confidence after beating Bristol City 2-0 in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

They also secured a hard-fought point against Manchester United in their last Premier League game, and they will be keen to build on that against Enzo Maresca’s team at the weekend.

While Chelsea go into the game as the big favourites, Fulham will be eager to give a good account of themselves against their nextdoor neighbours.

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Chelsea vs. Fulham lineups: Confirmed starting XI, team news, Cole Palmer injury latest

Maresca confirmed on Friday that talisman Cole Palmer, who missed the game against West Ham on Friday after aggravating a groin injury during the warm-up, will not feature against Fulham. He also said Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile remain sidelined.

Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are set to miss the game against Marco Silva’s team as they look set to move away from the club before the transfer deadline on September 1.

Apart from that, Maresca has a fully fit squad to choose from aside from Levi Colwill, who is set to miss the majority of the ongoing season with an ACL injury.

Blues skipper Reece James dropped to the bench against the Hammers and remains among the substitutes today. Meanwhile, Liam Delap continues at centre-forward in an unchanged line-up.

Chelsea starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Sanchez (GK) — Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella — Fernandez, Caicedo — Estevao, Joao Pedro, Neto — Delap

Injured: Colwill (ACL), Badiashile (knock), Lavia (muscular), Palmer (groin)Suspended: Mudryk (doping violation)

Silva has a fully fit squad to choose from and similarly names the same XI that held Manchester United to a draw on Sunday. Harry Wilson is on the bench after shaking off a foot injury.

The Cottagers made a number of changes to their squad for the Carabao Cup encounter against Bristol City, so key players have had a rest. Bernd Leno returns in goal, while Joachim Andersen and Calvin Bassey are back in the defense after being rested in midweek.

Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge start in the middle of the park with Ryan Sessegnon, Josh King and Alex Iwobi behind centre-forwardf Rodrigo Muniz in attack.

Fulham starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Leno (GK) — Castagne, Tete, Andersen, Bassey — Lukic, Berge — Sessegnon, King, Iwobi — Muniz

Injured: NoneSuspended: None

Chelsea vs. Fulham match details

• Date: Saturday, August 30, 2025
• Kickoff time: 12.30 p.m. local time / 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Location: Stamford Bridge, London (England)
• Competition: Premier League
• Referee: Rob Jones
• VAR: Michael Salisbury

Chelsea news and related links

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But according to former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, fans shouldn’t be fooled by Palmer’s easygoing media persona.

The 23-year-old Chelsea forward has taken the spotlight with his sharp form on the pitch and light-hearted answers off it.

While many fans see him as carefree and a little goofy in interviews, Richards says it’s all part of a clever game.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast alongside Gary Lineker, Richards said Palmer is a lot smarter than he pretends to be.

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What Micah Richards said about Cole Palmer?

“Very clever. He knows what he is doing. He is very witty,” Richards said. “He’s like [Jack] Grealish. They pretend they are stupid but they are really not. They know exactly what they are doing. Cole Palmer is exactly the same.”

Richards made the comments after Palmer’s recent interaction with Brazilian winger Estevao, who is set to join Chelsea.

After a Club World Cup match, Palmer told the media he tried speaking to Estevao but guessed, “He probably didn’t understand a single word I said.”

Lineker also chimed in, saying: “You used to think, ‘Oh maybe he is a bit dim,’ but he is actually not. He’s clever. He comes across very likeable.”

Palmer’s relaxed style has made him a fan favorite, but it seems there’s more behind that laid-back smile.

Whether it’s interviews or brand campaigns — like his recent appearance in a Nike ad — Palmer knows how to control the moment.

Chelsea fans will hope Palmer brings that same calm and cleverness to the pitch as the Blues aim for more silverware in the upcoming Club World Cup final.

Chelsea news and related links

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After Chelsea’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarterfinal, Palmer had a brief but funny exchange with incoming Blues signing Estevao Willian — and shared it with a smile.

Palmer opened the scoring for Chelsea before Estevao responded with a stunning equalizer for Palmeiras. It was the kind of goal that made fans sit up and take notice — and probably had Chelsea staff nodding in approval.

The 18-year-old is set to join Chelsea officially next year, but he gave them a taste of what’s to come, even if it came wearing green.

The game was eventually decided by a late own goal, but Estevao still walked away with the player of the match award.

Not bad for a teenager playing against his future club.

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What Cole Palmer said to Estevao Willian?

After the final whistle, Palmer went over to greet Estevao, and the two swapped shirts. But the real highlight? Palmer’s attempt at a conversation.

“I told him that we are excited for him to join, but he didn’t understand a single word I said…”, Palmer laughed. “Estevao is a top player, we all can see that!”

Palmer also reminded everyone that Estevao is still very young and will need time to settle in England. “When he comes to England, people need to give him time to adapt to the culture, the language,” he said.

The Brazilian winger will join a Chelsea squad already filled with talent, but there’s hope he can be the kind of player who brings the Samba flair that’s been missing at Stamford Bridge.

Palmer, who also praised Joao Pedro’s debut, showed again why he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite — not just for his play, but for his honesty and charm off the pitch.

Chelsea news and related links

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There has been a clear change in the Blues’ transfer strategy ever since the new owners took charge of the club.

They have heavily invested in some of the best young players from across the world as they look to build a team that can compete for titles in the years to come.

Meanwhile, Cole Palmer has been one of Chelsea’s most consistent players this season, despite a mid-season dip in form.

During an interview with Sky Sports Premier League, Palmer predicted that 21-year-old Blues teammate Romeo Lavia will eventually be spoken about as one of the world’s elite midfielders.

He said: “I think he’s one of the best midfielders I’ve played with, to be honest. Everyone’s not seen it because he’s been injured, but obviously I knew him at [Manchester] City, and I think everyone will realise soon. I think he will be one of the best midfielders in the world.

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“He’s been injured, so it’s been difficult for him, but in the games he has played this season, you see what difference he’s made. I think when he has a full season playing and staying fit, hopefully, then I think everyone will realise.”

Palmer is not the only one who rates Lavia highly, as Blues manager Enzo Maresca also holds the Belgian in high regard. 

Not only is Maresca happy to have Lavia back in the squad, he has been playing Chelsea’s Player of the Season, Moises Caicedo, out of position in order to accommodate Lavia in midfield.

Maresca has also admitted that Chelsea is a better team when Lavia plays. Clearly, Lavia’s quality is there for all to see, and it is only a matter of keeping him fit since the youngster has had numerous injury problems since returning to Stamford Bridge from his loan at Southampton.

Chelsea news and related links

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With just four games left in the Premier League campaign, the Blues are in fifth place. They have also reached the semi-final of the UEFA Conference League.

Regardless of how Chelsea finishes its campaign, it is set for a busy summer transfer window with both arrivals and departures in equal measure.

According to a report in the Independent, Chelsea could have an advantage in attracting Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.

The 22-year-old has had a breakthrough season at Villa Park since joining the club from Middlesbrough in 2022. This season, Rogers has scored 14 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions.

He has also impressed one and all with his versatility, with an ability to play anywhere across the midfield this season. So far, he has played on either flank and as an attacking midfielder throughout the campaign.

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The report says that Villa is not planning on selling Rogers this summer, but they could be affected by the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs), especially if they do not qualify for the Champions League next season. Chelsea could, therefore, look to take advantage of this situation.

How Cole Palmer could help Chelsea in signing Morgan Rogers

Chelsea could also try and take advantage of the good friendship between Rogers and Chelsea star Cole Palmer.

The two are close friends, having come through the youth set-up at Manchester City and England together.

Both share the now iconic ‘cold’ celebration, with Rogers claiming that Palmer had stolen it from him.

Should Chelsea act on their interest in the summer transfer window, the friendship between Palmer and Rogers should work in their favour. Palmer could help persuade the player to make the move to join him at Stamford Bridge.

Latest Chelsea FC news

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