Cole Palmer has been tipped to request a transfer away from Chelsea, with the club failing to compete for major honours. The warning comes from former Blues defender Marcel Desailly, who believes the England international may seek a move if his ambitions are not met.
Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023 for £42.5m and enjoyed a remarkable debut season, scoring 22 goals in 33 Premier League appearances. His second campaign was disrupted by injury, though he did collect his first silverware with Chelsea, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup in 2025.
Desailly, speaking to Card Player, said Palmer may be tempted to leave if he does not see a path to Premier League success at Stamford Bridge. "The question is whether he feels Chelsea are going to win the Premier League in the next two seasons," Desailly said. "If he doesn’t, I’m sure he will ask for a transfer request to a club that will build a system around him."
The former France international also urged Palmer to respect the club that helped him develop, adding: "I would love him to stay at Stamford Bridge because he’s got a key role in the team. I believe Palmer wants more stability and a system that’s built for him, but he still needs to fully recover from his groin injury."
Palmer, who was born in Manchester and is a boyhood supporter of Manchester United, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford. Reports suggest United could target a creative midfielder in the summer, particularly if captain Bruno Fernandes departs. Desailly concluded that for now Palmer must focus on returning to form to help Chelsea through their transition under a new manager.
