Hupu announced on May 6 that in the Daily Mail, a well-known reporter named Kieran Gil wrote an exclusive Cole-Palmer column.
For Chelsea, it's all business as usual. Cole Palmer remains a player who won't be sold. Sources firmly claim that their purpose this summer is to strengthen the squad, not weaken it, and regardless of whether they can eventually participate in the European War, they have no financial necessity to sell the team's top star.
However, Palmer himself has changed. He is no longer the Palmer we are familiar with. In the 2023-24 season, he contributed 33 goals under the coaching of Mauricio Pochettino. In the 2024-25 season, he contributed 23 goals under the coaching of Enzo Maresca. So far this season, he has only 10 goals in the Premier League, 5 of which are penalty kicks.
Since the start of March, he has not scored a goal. After the start of February, he also had no assist performance. With Chelsea in the midst of a six-game losing streak in the league, he seems to have shown no motivation to change the team.
He has encountered new injuries, an old groin injury that has caused him a lot of trouble, in addition to new tactical adjustments. In just 106 days, Liam Rossinier first came and then left, as well as new teammates. His club is one of the most active teams in the transfer market. However, even in such circumstances, he still lacks that "cool" quality this season.
The only thing that exists on the court is frustration. Part of this frustration is directed at oneself, and the other part is directed at teammates. When faced with being forced to pass back, he would often swing his legs widely, as if to show his helplessness that he had no other choice.
This gloomy attitude, coupled with Palmer's own downturn, has further intensified speculation about his future direction after this summer. Although the contract he signed with Chelsea does not expire until 2033, the rumors surrounding his transfer to Manchester United are becoming more and more noisy.
Last month, Palmer told the Guardian in an interview that he had learned to shrug off the rumors and respond with a smile. The club's senior management had communicated with him privately, using the same method of communication as they did when they extended the contract with Reece James until 2032 and Moises Caicedo until 2033, ensuring that the summer signing target was of considerable strength.
At that time, Chelsea were still competing for Champions League qualification, and Palmer mentioned the importance of qualifying for the Champions League, because only in this way would they have the opportunity to sign the players they need. The situation has changed now, and their only hope seems to be to "get out of the predicament", which is to eventually rank sixth, and hope that Aston Villa can win the Europa League and finish fifth.
Some sources familiar with the contract structure at Stamford Bridge confirmed that most players in the Blues are currently signing incentive contracts, which shows that the players' salary is related to their performance on the court. It is said that the bonuses received from participating in the Champions League account for almost 20% of their salary.
Chelsea have an internal policy of rewarding players for outstanding performance and treating this as a form of financial security for the club. There is no way to reach the Champions League, which can not only damage the club's honor, but also cause them to suffer heavy losses.
Palmer has publicly denied rumors of a move to Manchester United, and it is conceivable that some at the club want him to stop talking about the transfer. However, sources outside Chelsea still claim that Palmer is privately considering joining Manchester United.
However, this will partly depend on whether United really want him. United have Bruno Fernandes, who controls the No. 10 brilliantly and is a strong candidate for the next Premier League Player of the Year – he won my vote with the Football Writers Association – so it is uncertain whether United will test Palmer this summer. As Chelsea insiders have firmly stated to the Daily Mail that they will reject any offer regardless, Palmer will not be leaving in the next transfer window.
Chelsea are committed to supporting Palmer and firmly believe that he has the ability to return to the top. Interim head coach Callum McFarlane has become the latest person to defend his decline in form. He pointed to a groin injury suffered at the beginning of the season as one of the reasons that prevented him from showing his true strength. Neither Chelsea nor Palmer himself have publicly stated that they feel that surgery is the way to solve the problem.
On Monday, England coach Thomas Tuchel went to Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea's match against Nottingham Forest, which Chelsea lost 3-1. During the game, Thomas Tuchel watched as Palmer's missed penalty kick when trailing 2-0 was saved by Mats Sells. Palmer is an English player who just turned 24 today. There is no definite conclusion yet on whether he can be selected for this summer's World Cup squad. If Palmer fails to go to the United States in the end, it will be a heavy blow to Palmer himself and his image.
His company, Palmer Management Ltd, has trademarked his name, image, two signatures, his "chillless" celebrations and a logo. He is a Nike athlete and last week signed a multi-year deal to become a Coca-Cola brand ambassador. This means that he will be the face of Coca-Cola's various promotional activities, including those during this summer's World Cup.
Imagine that if he had never been on the highest stage of football, then these trademarks and business cooperation might give people a feeling of being somewhat out of place. He has always firmly believed that he belongs there, even if it is this season, the performance he has shown is not at the level of a superstar.