Paul Merson says Chelsea would not rule out selling Stamford Bridge superstar Cole Palmer after another pundit tipped him for a shock move to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Palmer has been Chelsea’s most important player since his £40m move from Manchester City last summer, scoring 25 goals in his first season in west London.
The 22-year-old, one of Chelsea’s few recent success stories in the transfer market, had more goal involvements than any other player and won the Premier League Young Player of the Season and PFA Fans’ Player of the Year awards.
Following his heroics throughout the 2023-24 campaign, Palmer was included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 and later put pen to paper on a new nine-year contract at Chelsea, potentially keeping him at the club until 2033.
But Merson doubts Palmer’s staggering contract will prevent Chelsea from cashing in if a huge offer is presented to the Stamford Bridge club.
A similar situation would play out, according to Merson at least, if Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson attracted a substantial bid next summer.
Discussing the situation at Stamford Bridge, amid reports of a rift at board level, Merson told 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.’
Palmer has enjoyed another strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, scoring one goal and making four assists in four Premier League games.
Speaking before the start of the new season, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tipped Manchester United to launch a stunning move for the Chelsea ace.
‘Something’s just come to me here,’ Carragher said on an episode of The Overlap with Sky Bet.
‘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 United 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 United.’
Chelsea were outplayed by Manchester City on the opening weekend but have since taken seven points from three games to climb to eighth, two points outside the Champions League places.
Christopher Nkunku scored a late winner as Chelsea beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the weekend. The Blues return to action on Saturday against London rivals West Ham.