Despite being one of the best players in the Premier League last season, Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been overlooked by England manager Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.
In total, Cole Palmer scored 25 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances for Chelsea during the 2023/24 campaign.
However, he only got his first minutes for England at the Euros in the Three Lions’ 0-0 draw with Slovenia on Tuesday.
In their first two games of the tournament, Palmer did not step onto the pitch at all.
The 22-year-old impressed former Manchester United captain Roy Keane with his cameo against Slovenia, though, with the ITV pundit hailing him as an “amazing player” after the game.
Cole Palmer a fringe player right now
While he was the main man for Chelsea last season, Palmer is only seen as a back-up option for England.
The former Manchester City man does not appear to be too frustrated with his role under Southgate, though.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, he has actually accepted it.
In his column on Substack, Jacobs said: “Palmer has been a model professional at his first major tournament with the senior England squad. He accepts his role as a squad player.”
Jacobs also went on to add: “There is no suggestion he has voiced any concerns over his lack of playing time despite scoring 25 goals in all competitions last season and being one of the form players in the Premier League.”
Should Cole Palmer start for England in the knockout round?
England have so many good attacking players, including Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
For all of their creativity and attacking threat, though, the Three Lions’ frontline is just not producing right now.
To have scored only two goals in a group featuring Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia is a bit disappointing.
At this point, Southgate probably does have to try something different, and Palmer has shown that he could be a great alternative to Saka or Foden, for example.
Ultimately, Palmer probably deserves a chance in England’s next game, but it is hard to imagine Southgate dropping somebody from his frontline for the Chelsea man.