Marcel Desailly believes Chelsea are sitting on an absolute goldmine, claiming one of their current players needs to wake up and realise how good he is.
Cole Palmer’s 2025–26 season at Chelsea has been a frustrating story of regression, summed up by a lack of consistency that ultimately cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad.
The 24-year-old looked like a shadow of his former self, managing just 11 goals and three assists across all competitions as Chelsea slumped to a tenth-place finish.
However, it hasn’t been easy, as Palmer has had a recurring battle with injuries. A persistent groin issue sidelined him early in September, and a freak domestic accident resulting in a fractured toe added to it.
It’s not like the environment at Chelsea really allowed him to succeed either, with so much toxicity and Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior being sacked.
PREDICTION: Which Chelsea player do you think will have the BEST World Cup?👀
Mamadou Sarr is being slept on…
Cole Palmer told he has Ballon d’Or potential
Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly has been talking up Cole Palmer’s talents at Chelsea, but feels like he’s not quite living up to his full potential due to his mentality, when speaking to FlashScore.
“Cole Palmer needs to develop with the killer and winning mentality. If things go badly, does he really feel the pain? Does he really understand the kind of talent that he has? He could be a Ballon d’Or winner.”
The mentality of Palmer is something that may have played a part in Thomas Tuchel leaving him out of the England squad, some are led to believe.
Anthony Gordon starred for England against Costa Rica but is no longer an option for Chelsea. Which left winger should we now sign? 🤔
It’s down to Chelsea to help Cole Palmer reach his potential
Marcel Desailly is completely spot on regarding Cole Palmer’s ceiling, but his observation exposes Chelsea’s deeper flaws.
Palmer possesses the raw, unpredictable talent to reach football’s absolute pinnacle. However, expecting him to develop a ruthless “killer mentality” while stranded in a chaotic, mid-table side lacking on-pitch leadership is entirely unrealistic.
For Palmer to ever unlock that Ballon d’Or trajectory, Chelsea’s hierarchy must stop hoarding unproven youngsters and surround him with the veteran spine Desailly advocated for; otherwise, his world-class potential will continue to be stifled.
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