MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Cole Palmer of Chelsea looks on in the pouring rain during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on September 20, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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If there’s one player Chelsea can’t do without, it’s Cole Palmer. This was made abundantly clear in a match between the Blues and Brentford earlier this month when the 23-year-old climbed off the bench to completely change the game for his team. Chelsea doesn’t have another player like Palmer.
This is why Palmer’s latest injury is so concerning. The Chelsea attacking midfielder will be sidelined for at least three weeks to manage a groin injury that has already impacted him this season. This might be for the good of Palmer in the medium to long-term, but the Blues need the England international back on the pitch as quickly as possible.
Chelsea’s English midfielder #10 Cole Palmer talks with Chelsea’s Italian head coach Enzo Maresca following the pre-season friendly football match between Chelsea and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge in London on August 10, 2025. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Yes, we decided to protect a little bit Cole, in terms of not letting his injury get worse,” explained Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. “We decided to rest him for two to three weeks until the international break to see if with that rest he can recover 100% and to be fit after the international break. I don’t think he needs surgery but it is just to manage the pain in his groin. We have decided to be a little bit conservative with him.”
Of course, Chelsea has one of the strongest squads in the Premier League. However, Maresca lacks another player in Palmer’s mould. He is the only current player at Stamford Bridge capable of getting in between the lines and making things happen with the ball at his feet. Palmer is an all-round threat.
After a mixed start to the 2025/25 campaign, Chelsea is facing a critical stretch of matches to correct its current inconsistent form. The Blues must take all three points at home to Brighton this weekend with a crucial Champions League clash with Portuguese outfit Benfica following just a few days after that.
MUNICH, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 17: Cole Palmer of Chelsea controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC at Football Arena Munich on September 17, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
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Then comes a home match against Liverpool. If Chelsea has any ambitions of challenging for the Premier League title this season, it can’t fall any further behind Arne Slot’s team at the top of the table. That match on October 4th could be season-defining for Maresca and his players.
Chelsea’s success at the Club World Cup suggested it was ready to take the next step in its development. However, it’s clearer than ever that the Blues remain reliant on Palmer to make things happen in the final third of the pitch. Without him, it’s not obvious how Chelsea will survive. Palmer’s injury might have come at the worst possible time.