Of all Chelsea’s players, Cole Palmer has the most reason to feel frustrated. Just months ago, he ran riot against Brighton at Stamford Bridge, scoring four goals in a dazzling solo performance. Now, after back-to-back defeats to the Seagulls, he finds himself on the periphery, his influence diminished across 180 uninspiring minutes. Even when Brighton’s goalkeeper gifted Chelsea a goal, Palmer remained shackled, unable to impose himself in the way he has so often this season.
Palmer’s visible frustration is a rare crack in his usually composed demeanor. Arms raised, words exchanged—his emotions were clear, and at full-time, he needed prompting to acknowledge the traveling fans who had stayed beyond Yankuba Minteh’s late strike in Brighton’s 3-0 win. While Enzo Maresca accused his squad of lacking desire, Palmer’s reaction showed he cares. That, at least, is something.
“It’s normal that they’re not happy,” Maresca said, acknowledging both his players’ and the fans’ disappointment. But he also sent a clear message: this young Chelsea squad cannot afford to sulk. “We need all of them to be more positive. This is a moment where we need to stick together and try to finish in the best way.”
That is easier said than done. Chelsea have now won just three of their last 11 matches, their attacking options dwindling, their hopes of Champions League football fading fast. Patience may be the club’s mantra, but the fans have little of it left. The chants of “We want our Chelsea back” that rang around the Amex showed how quickly optimism has turned to despair.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher voiced the concerns many now share, questioning whether Chelsea’s best players will wait for Maresca’s long-term project to bear fruit. “Cole Palmer is one of the best players in the Premier League,” Carragher said. “He’s good enough to be competing for the biggest honours in the Premier League and Champions League. He won’t wait around for this idea that, in a couple of years, we’ll get to the Champions League.”
In theory, Palmer has no choice. His contract, initially seven years, was extended last summer by another two, tying him to Chelsea until 2033. That is an almost unheard-of level of commitment—so much so that even in 2029, he would still have as many years left on his deal as Bukayo Saka did when he signed his long-term Arsenal extension. If any club wanted to buy him out of it, the price would be astronomical. Neymar’s £200 million world-record transfer to PSG in 2017 is the only recent precedent, and Chelsea would likely demand a similar fee.
But Carragher’s warning is less about Palmer’s contract and more about Chelsea’s trajectory. In football, time moves quickly. If the club’s rebuild takes too long, Palmer and other key figures may not just want to leave—they may demand it. Chelsea’s vision is for long-term success, but if they don’t show progress soon, the very foundation they are building on could begin to crumble.