Danny Murphy says what Chelsea should have done instead of giving Cole Palmer a contract extension

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Former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy does not agree with Chelsea’s decision to extend Cole Palmer’s contract.

Chelsea announced on Tuesday that Cole Palmer had signed a two-year contract extension with the club.

The attacker put pen to paper on an initial seven-year deal with a club option of another 12 months last September following his arrival from Manchester City. However, after an incredible debut season, the Blues decided to offer him a new contract.

Chelsea could extend Nicolas Jackson’s deal next, with the striker also impressing last term. Jackson and Palmer were the two highest scorers in the Blues’ squad, finishing the 2023/24 campaign with 17 and 25 goals respectively.

• READ MORE: The ‘outstanding’ player Chelsea should hand a new deal to next after Cole Palmer – it’s not Nicolas Jackson

Danny Murphy discusses Cole Palmer’s new Chelsea contract

For Murphy, with Palmer already having so many years left on his previous deal, there was no reason for Chelsea to hand him a contract extension.

Instead, the former Liverpool player believes they should have just offered him a new deal with higher wages.

Discussing the subject on talkSPORT, Murphy said: “I don’t see why you would do that when you’ve already got him on a seven [year deal].

“So I don’t get it, you could have just increased his wages and left him on the same length of term if that was the problem because he’s not on that much money apparently. But there’s no logic to it, it doesn’t make sense.”

Another talkSPORT pundit, Ally McCoist, thinks Palmer will have another good season at Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer still not close to the likes of Reece James and Raheem Sterling

According to The Telegraph, Palmer’s new contract will see him earn more than £120,000-a-week at Chelsea.

However, the 22-year-old is still nowhere close to Reece James and Raheem Sterling, for example.

As per Spotrac, the former is earning £250,000-a-week in west London, while the latter pockets £325,000-a-week.

Sterling’s deal is particularly a problem. His salary is significantly higher than what the rest of the Chelsea dressing room is taking home, despite the England international not even being the best player in the squad.

He has been very inconsistent since arriving at Stamford Bridge, managing to score just eight goals in 32 Premier League appearances last season. Chelsea really need to reduce his wages or get them off their books completely, alongside Romelu Lukaku’s, which are the same as Sterling’s.