England release statement regarding Chelsea star Cole Palmer after he missed Blues' recent loss to Arsenal
The England men's national team has issued a statement about Cole Palmer after the Chelsea playmaker missed the Blues' 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, March 16. Palmer has withdrawn from the Three Lions squad for the ongoing international break after suffering a muscle issue before the Arsenal game.
Blues head coach Enzo Maresca played down the threat of the injury, but stated that a scan was to be carried out. He also admitted that it was unlikely that Palmer would join the England squad (via football.london):
"I don’t think so. We never wish for players to get injured but in Cole’s case in this moment it will give him some rest physically and mentally so it could be good. He needs a scan and it is planned for Monday."
On Tuesday, the England national team confirmed Palmer’s withdrawal, stating:
"Cole Palmer remains with Chelsea for further assessment on an injury sustained in training ahead of his club's fixture at Arsenal last Sunday."
Consequently, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has been called up to replace Palmer. England boss Thomas Tuchel has also included under-21 players Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Adam Wharton, and Liam Delap in senior training, ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Chelsea will hope for a speedy recovery, with Palmer having been one of the club’s star players this season. He did not play against Arsenal, but it remains to be seen if he will be fit for their upcoming match, another London derby against Tottenham, on April 3.
Cole Palmer urged to leave Chelsea as pundit compares him to Liverpool icon
Jamie Carragher has claimed that Cole Palmer may have outgrown Chelsea, comparing the playmaker's situation to Liverpool great Steven Gerrard. Palmer has been a key player for the Blues since joining the club in 2023, registering 39 goals and 21 assists in 78 appearances. However, his quality has raised questions over whether Stamford Bridge's current trajectory matches his ambitions.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Carragher explained (via GOAL):
"I’m a big fan of Cole Palmer, and he played two passes early on, but the longer the game went on, you could see the frustration with his teammates."
"It reminded me of Stevie at Liverpool at times, because he was so much better than everyone else and he got frustrated. Stevie was a local player, but he was never going to leave, whereas Cole Palmer isn’t."
Carragher noted that Palmer is under a long-term contract at Chelsea, which will expire in 2033, and therefore may have fewer opportunities to make a move.
