Liverpool's chances of AUDACIOUS Cole Palmer raid assessed

Chelsea are currently among several teams aiming for Champions League football. The Blues are caught up in a race for the top four - and even fifth place might be good enough to secure a place at the top table next season.

It’s by no means certain that they will make it with quality sides such as Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all among the contenders who have set their sights on a Champions League place.

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Head coach Enzo Maresca was recently asked if missing out on the Champions League had the potential to impact the happiness of the players currently in his squad. The question specifically addressed Cole Palmer, who, admittedly hasn’t looked too happy in recent weeks.

“First of all, we need to see how we finish,” the Italian said. “And then, in case we don’t finish in the top four, we’ll see if Cole is happy or not happy.

“But I don’t think that Cole is worried at this moment about next year, that he wants to play in the Champions League.

“Cole is just focused on how he can help the team, how we can help him and, as I said already this season, how all together we can bring this club where it has to be.”

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The 22-year-old drew another blank in midweek as Chelsea defeated Southampton to bounce back from a run of two consecutive Premier League defeats.

Although the Blues won 4-0, Palmer failed to either score or assist. He is without a goal since January 14 in the league and has only made one assist since October.

"Don't worry, I will be back"

His numbers are still strong across the season - 14 league goals and six assists - but there’s no doubt he’s hit the first major stumbling block since joining Chelsea in 2023.

“Don’t worry, I will be back,” the ex-Man City player wrote on Instagram after the game.

Maresca was spotted deep in conversation with the playmaker on the pitch on Tuesday, leading to the TNT Sports panel to quiz him over what exactly had been said.

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"You cannot expect Cole Palmer, every season or every game, to be like last season or like the first part of the season," he replied.

"He's a human being, he's missing some things and now it's how we react. So I was telling him that. Everything is normal. He's happy, he's OK.

"I've said already that he has been lucky in his career, even if he is young, because he's shared moments, changing rooms, with top players.

"He knows that any top players go through bad moments. It's how you react. Keep calm, keep working, keep laughing, be calm, be happy, enjoy the football. It's the only thing you have to do."

Palmer slump a warning sign

But that recent slump in form is a cause for alarm. Should Chelsea miss the top four and Palmer decide he wants out, Liverpool ought to think twice about getting involved in the race to sign him.

First off, the costs would be enormous. Palmer is an established Premier League star - and reigning Young Player of the Year - as well as an England international. He is also under contract until 2023. You can start the bidding at £100m plus.

Liverpool aren’t prone to throwing that kind of money around and there is no guarantee that Palmer will prove worth it in the long run. Also, it appears that the Blues have been forced into a slower-paced, less transitional style of play this season as teams line up to deal with Palmer.

So far, he nor his coach have an answer over how to influence games in those circumstances.

Liverpool have also had to deal with teams getting plenty of men behind the ball, although they still enjoy the odd breakaway goal or two. In tight spots, glorious assists from the likes of Mohamed Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold have got them out of trouble and Palmer has been unable to do similar for the West Londoners.

This is the worst run of form he’s experienced since moving to Stamford Bridge and may well serve as a reminder to any potential suitors to wait and see before trying to extract him from the club.

He isn’t as good as Mo Salah and even if he doesn’t mind putting in the hard yards off the ball, he doesn’t appear a natural fit for the more central positions in the line-up.

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Far from being a luxurious problem to solve, it could end up being an expensive problem full stop. If Palmer misses out on the Champions League with Chelsea - and seeks a spot in the competition at another club - then Liverpool should not be offering him that sanctuary.

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