Gus Poyet has told a crucial Chelsea star that he might need to join Real Madrid or Barcelona for one key reason, with the former Stamford Bridge star sending a clear message.
Chelsea prepare for Liverpool as Enzo Maresca without up to eight stars
Enzo Maresca is without up to eight first-team players for their visit of Premier League title rivals Liverpool on Saturday.
The Italian won’t be able to count on star forward Cole Palmer, who remains absent with a niggling groin injury, but seven other men could also miss their face-off against Arne Slot’s side.
“Cole is still out,” Maresca said in his pre-Liverpool press conference.
“We have Trev suspended. Seven or eight players out for tomorrow’s game.”
Alongside Palmer and Chalobah, while Maresca was cryptic in his update, it is likely the other players he’s referring to are Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos.
Maresca has been left absolutely bereft of central defensive options ahead of Liverpool, meaning he’ll most likely choose to play Benoit Badiashile and Jorrel Hato at the heart of Chelsea’s defence ahead of youngster Josh Acheampong.
Chelsea are now paying the price for not signing a centre-back in the last transfer window, despite Maresca’s wishes and spending the second-most money of any Premier League side behind this weekend’s opponents.
However, BlueCo are reportedly working on a potential defender deal for January as their priority (Pete O’Rourke).
Liverpool
£415,000,000
£187,000,000
£228,000,000
Chelsea
£285,000,000
£288,000,000
-£3,000,000
Arsenal
£255,000,000
£9,000,000
£246,000,000
Newcastle
£250,000,000
£152,000,000
£98,000,000
Man Utd
£216,000,000
£68,000,000
£148,000,000
Nottm Forest
£205,000,000
£107,000,000
£98,000,000
Tottenham
£181,000,000
£36,000,000
£145,000,000
Sunderland
£162,000,000
£44,000,000
£118,000,000
Man City
£152,000,000
£53,000,000
£99,000,000
West Ham
£124,000,000
£55,000,000
£69,000,000
via BBC
Marc Guehi’s camp have received contact from Chelsea this week ahead of a potential winter swoop, according to Simon Phillips, but the England international also has Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid and Barça hot on his trail with the Englishman’s contract expiring next year.
While the addition of a new defender is vital, so is keeping Palmer out of the clutches of Europe’s biggest sides.
Gus Poyet tells Cole Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid or Barcelona
The England star has been a revelation since joining from Man City in 2023, spearheading the team as their main attacking vocal point, which is widely seen as over-reliance on Palmer at times.
The £130,000-per-week superstar is arguably nailed on to win the coveted Balon d’Or in future if he stays on this trajectory, but according to Poyet, he needs to quit Stamford Bridge for that to happen.
Speaking to GOAL, Poyet urged Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real or Barça, in order to give himself the best chance of claiming the award.
“100 per cent, no doubt,” Poyet said when asked if a switch abroad would make it easier for Palmer.
“For me, [Jude] Bellingham when I saw him at Dortmund, I liked him a lot. Then his first season at Real Madrid, I love him. Why? Because he was at Real Madrid doing what he was doing, simple. And I thought, maybe he is the Ballon d’Or. It was a big opportunity because he was amazing his first season in Spain – he was tremendous, another dimension, another level, and that helps.
“Would Lamine Yamal win the Ballon d’Or if he was playing at another team, Liverpool? No chance. I would say that I don’t like the Ballon d’Or nominations and I don’t like the vote, I think they are not fair. The people in Spain vote for the ones that play in La Liga, the people in England vote for those in England. The countries that don’t have anyone nominated, such as Uruguay, maybe they vote for the real one, the one that you think is the best. I don’t think it’s right, but it’s a great party for the players and it’s great to have one of them.”
Only two players have won the Ballon d’Or in the last 17 years — Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and Rodri in 2024 — so Poyet could have a point.
The City midfielder’s prize shows it is not impossible for Premier League stars to clinch the award in this day and age, so Palmer could still have a real shot if he remains in West London, but he’ll have to play out of his skin.
Rodri was cut and above the best defensive midfield player in Europe when he was awarded the honour, starting nearly all of City’s most crucial games in 23/24, and this came right after his winning goal against Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final to gift the Sky Blues a treble.
The bar is set rather high for Palmer, and he’ll arguably need to achieve similar feats at Chelsea to stand any chance.