Chelsea may reportedly be forced to sell Cole Palmer due to a clause in his contract that is set to become active if they miss out on Champions League qualification.
The Blues were beaten 3-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion last Friday, and the loss saw them drop to sixth in the Premier League table behind fifth-placed Bournemouth.
Enzo Maresca's side have now lost four, drawn three and won just two of their last nine in the top flight, whereas they had won their prior five in the league.
Chelsea are now one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot, but it is hard to see them overhauling Pep Guardiola's team if their poor form continues.
In worrying news for fans, TEAMtalk now claim that several players will consider their futures if Chelsea do not qualify for the Champions League, with certain stars like Palmer having clauses in their contract that would force Chelsea to consider offers.
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Can Chelsea survive without Palmer?
Palmer was signed from Manchester City in the summer of 2023-24, and he made an immediate impact on the Londoners, scoring 22 goals and producing 11 assists in the Premier League that season, the most of any Blues player in both categories.
The Englishman was directly responsible for 43.4% of his side's goals in the top flight last term, and having scored 14 goals and provided six assists this season in the league, he has also been directly responsible for 43.5% of Chelsea's Premier League goals in 2024-25.
Maresca's team have dropped points in 13 games this campaign and Palmer failed to register a goal contribution in eight of those matches, highlighting just how reliant the manager is on his talisman.
If the 22-year-old was to leave the club, it would be an incredibly difficult to replace his output in the final third regardless of how much the club spend in the summer.
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Is the Chelsea project failing?
Despite the negatives on the pitch there have been positives that fans have been able to point to, including the form of midfielder Moises Caicedo, who experienced a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge.
However, striker Nicolas Jackson is set to miss out on action until some time in April, while others like Romeo Lavia have been frequently sidelined due to injury.
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took ownership of the club in May 2022 but despite having invested in excess of £1bn, there has been little to show for their expenditure.
Chelsea finished 12th in 2022-23 with 44 points and sixth in 2023-24 with 63 points, but the Blues are only on track to record 65 points in 2024-25.
With frustrations amongst fans rising and performances on the pitch remaining inconsistent, it should not come as a surprise if stars such as Palmer begin to look elsewhere.
Lewis Nolan
