Meet the next Cole Palmer who Chelsea could poach from ‘Big Six’ rival

Well, Chelsea‘s deadline has come and gone, and Enzo Fernandez remains a part of the Stamford Bridge persuasion.

The Argentina midfielder has made it clear that he wishes to leave the club this summer, but Chelsea are not willing to sell for anything south of their nine-digit valuation. Whether the wantaway skipper stays or goes, it emphasises the work needed to bring the club back to the fore.

It feels like there is something of a changing of the guard at Chelsea this summer. Not only has Xabi Alonso perched into the hot seat, but Marc Cucurella has been sold to Real Madrid after last year’s catastrophic failure under Enzo Maresca and then Liam Rosenior. Chelsea finished tenth in the Premier League.

Changes have been made, but the Blues have made it clear they will not entertain any offers for Cole Palmer, who needs to pick himself back up following a disappointing year.

How Cole Palmer can spearhead Chelsea resurgence

One decade ago, Chelsea finished tenth in the Premier League. The following season, under Antonio Conte, they lifted the title. Can Alonso repeat the trick?

If he is going to do so, the Spanish tactician will surely need Palmer on his A-game, with the elite playmaker having fallen by the wayside last year and been omitted from England’s World Cup squad by Thomas Tuchel.

That first term in particular, there was a case to be made that Palmer was the finest player in the division. Jamie Carragher thought so, saying the following October that the former Manchester City prospect was “the best player in the Premier League“.

BlueCo will hope that the addition of Morgan Rogers, signed from Aston Villa for £117m, will help restore Palmer to his former heights. Last season, he paled in comparison to those first two years in west London, scoring ten goals in the Premier League, but only registering one assist, creating three big chances.

Still, what a signing. Chelsea hit the jackpot when signing the Manchester City youngster for £42.5m in August 2023. He is no longer a prospect, and Todd Boehly has his eye on a stunning repeat.

Chelsea leading race to sign their new Cole Palmer

Chelsea are the best team in the country when it comes to identifying exciting up-and-coming talent and bringing such players over to Anfield.

As per TEAMtalk, Chelsea have emerged as the leading contender in the race to sign 15-year-old Manchester United attacker JJ Gabriel, who is regarded as one of the most gifted prospects in Europe.

Gabriel is expected to continue his journey at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils pushing to agree a pre-contract scholarship agreement, but it’s been revealed that chiefs are sweating over the growing list of suitors, of which Chelsea head.

Gabriel would arrive at Stamford Bridge in different circumstances, but this could be a repeat of the deal that saw Palmer welcomed to the club from the other shade of Manchester. Still finding his feet from a positional standpoint, Gabriel is one of the most talented forwards of his age bracket – anywhere in the world.

Gabriel is not yet eligible to feature for Michael Carrick’s side in a senior capacity, but he has trained with the first team, and he has showcased his potential with the U18s, scoring 29 goals and supplying four assists across 32 matches.

The teenager still has a long way to go before he can confidently say that he has made it at the highest level, but the signs are certainly there, and Chelsea would point toward the development of someone such as Palmer when canvassing their proposal.

Old Trafford has hardly been a hothouse for talent development in recent years, and Blues bosses will be certain to suggest this to Gabriel – if and when their position as frontrunners for his signature crystallises into something more tangible.

To prise JJ Gabriel away from Old Trafford this summer would be a significant statement of intent from Chelsea. It would be a tough one to pull off, no doubt, but the Blues have a thing for poaching prized prospects from their Premier League rivals.

Could the United up-and-comer join Palmer in travelling from Manchester to the capital, cementing himself as a new superstar for a Chelsea side starting to look like a threat once again?

Chelsea would need to play a blinder to pul this one off, but they’ve done it before.