Following an excellent season so far under new manager Enzo Maresca, one Chelsea star has reportedly caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain, who are now seemingly willing to offer over £150m for his signature in 2025.
Chelsea transfer news
Many expected the Blues to struggle once again, having returned to square one by parting ways with Mauricio Pochettino and hiring Maresca fresh from promotion with Leicester City. In the face of doubters, however, the Italian has thrived and Chelsea now find themselves on course for a Champions League return come May.
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That success should be celebrated with caution though. Not only are those at Stamford Bridge well aware of just how quickly the Premier League can turn on its head, but they’ll also be well aware of the transfer interest that success can create. With the January transfer window now underway too, the rumours are already coming thick and fast.
Names such as Christopher Nkunku have already received mentions, with the Frenchman potentially heading for the exit door in pursuit of more game time in the middle of a Chelsea squad with such endless depth. In what would be a far greater shock, however, it’s PSG who could deal the London giants the ultimate blow.
According to reports in Spain, PSG are now willing to bid as much as €200m (£166m) to sign Cole Palmer this year. A deal that would instantly make Palmer Britain’s most expensive export and one of the most expensive players in football history, the Ligue 1 giants certainly mean business.
After an exodus of star quality in recent years saw Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar depart, PSG could be turning towards Palmer to steal similar headlines and finally give Parc des Princes a fresh name to admire. Chelsea, meanwhile, must fend off any and all interest in their star man.
“Fantastic” Palmer can become generational star
Since stepping out of the Manchester City shadow in 2023, Palmer has enjoyed a sensational rise that not even the most optimistic Chelsea fans could have predicted. No longer simply a player compared to Phil Foden, the Manchester City graduate is a star in his own right who is outshining a number of his former teammates and almost every other rival Premier League player.
If anyone was waiting to dub Palmer a one-season wonder too, then they’ll have to keep on waiting. The England international instantly picked up where he left off, scoring 12 goals and assisting another six in 21 games in all competitions.
Earning deserved praise from Maresca as a result, the Italian told Sky Sports as relayed by 90Min last month: “The best thing is that he didn’t change. The way he was four or five years ago, he’s exactly the same way. He loves football, he wants to play every game, he wants to use the ball in the [training] session every single moment. He’s a fantastic guy.”
All signs are pointing towards a generational star and one that Chelsea simply must keep hold of if they are to return to the top of English football in the near future.