Martin Keown warns Chelsea that star player could leave after worrying slump | Football

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown says Cole Palmer is likely questioning his decision to join Chelsea and could look to leave ‘in the next couple of years’.

Palmer has been nothing short of a revelation since completing a £40million move from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge 18 months ago and was named the Premier League Young Player of the Season after an extraordinary debut campaign last term.

The 22-year-old picked up where he left off at the start of this season and has racked up 14 goals and six assists in 28 appearances in the English top flight.

However, Palmer has experienced an uncharacteristic dip in form since the turn of the year and is without a goal in his last ten games for Chelsea.

The England international has also been struggling for fitness of late and was ruled out of this month’s World Cup qualifiers after sustaining a hamstring injury in Chelsea training.

The Blues’ up-and-down season has even led to some questions over Palmer’s long-term future in west London, with the attacker, at times, cutting a frustrated figure during the club’s malaise.

‘When you talk about projects and players and where Chelsea want to go, you look at him as a central figure of it,’ Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said of Palmer following Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton last month.

‘But if they don’t get better and start competing for trophies, he will want to leave.

‘He’s one of the best players in the Premier League.

‘He will want to be competing for the Champions League and Premier League.’

Discussing Chelsea’s struggles on TNT Sports’ new series The Breakdown, Arsenal legend Keown echoed Carragher’s comments.

The three-time Premier League winner said: ‘Palmer is probably thinking: “Hold on, what have I really signed for?”.

‘I could see him leaving that football club in the next couple of years.’

According to Keown, Enzo Maresca’s men never look like winning when up against a team ‘of any calibre’.

‘They beat Southampton, they beat Leicester. You expect them to beat those teams,’ he added.

‘As soon as they have to play against anybody of any calibre, they lose.’

Maresca will no doubt be desperate for Palmer to return to full fitness in time for Chelsea’s derby with Tottenham on Thursday night.

Though Palmer’s muscle issue meant he missed Chelsea’s loss to Arsenal, Maresca said he hoped the injury could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the former Manchester City man.

‘I hope he can be back for our next game,’ the Chelsea head coach told reporters.

‘We don’t wish players injury, but probably in Cole’s case in this moment it will give him some rest, physically and mentally, it could be good.’

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