Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has likened Cole Palmer to Steven Gerrard as he makes an interesting transfer point
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Former Liverpool duo, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard
Former Liverpool duo, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard
Jamie Carragher has likened Cole Palmer's situation at Chelsea to that of Steven Gerrard's with Liverpool almost two decades ago. The Reds legend was once famously pursued by the trophy-laden Londoners only to reject their advances and stay with his boyhood side.
This weekend Arne Slot's side head to Stamford Bridge as the newly-crowned Premier League champions. This is Liverpool's second trophy in the period since Palmer completed a £42.5m switch from Manchester City to West London, and they have also qualified for the Champions League in successive seasons now too.
In stark contrast, Chelsea have not won the league since 2017; they haven't won any silverware since 2021 and haven't competed in the Champions League for two years.
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Palmer has been their shining light with 39 goals and 25 assists in 86 appearances. But Carragher, writing in his latest column for The Telegraph, believes the Englishman will soon become disillusioned if they do not make the top-five.
"Palmer has played only 183 minutes of Champions League football in his career. That is worryingly low for a player of his calibre on the eve of his 23rd birthday," he began.
"He knows that he is too good to be watching rather than playing in the Champions League. Chelsea must start satisfying his ambitions to take on Europe’s best, otherwise he will start asking himself how and when they will. Then it will only be a matter of time before rival clubs try to sign him."
The Reds' second-most performance-maker added that 'it surprises' him that Palmer has not been linked with a switch to Anfield already in this scenario.
Though he did also recognise that his former employers have never been ones to target established players already at the pinnacle, so a daring bid for the 23-year-old would be 'most likely farfetched'.
Instead, he rather pointed out the reversal of roles over a span of two decades when it was Chelsea who were fighting for English titles and other trophies on a more regular basis than Liverpool, and Jose Mourinho was attempting to sway club captain Gerrard over to them. The midfielder would, of course, resist in the end.
Carragher continued: "There was a moment during Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion in February which must have set off alarm bells in the Stamford Bridge boardroom. Palmer’s demeanour was one of frustration.
"It reminded me of Steven Gerrard during the more difficult periods at Liverpool, where he was looking around the pitch and realising team-mates were not at the required level.
"Gerrard started to ask himself if he was at the right club, prompting Chelsea to try to sign him in three successive summers between 2003-2005. On two occasions they were very close to doing the deal.
"How and why? Not because Liverpool were willing sellers. Not because Liverpool were under any financial pressure to offload any of their assets. Not because our captain and best player had a boyhood dream to move to London. And not because the club were unwilling to fight to keep their superstar.
"The reason the transfer nearly happened was because world-class players can only tolerate mediocrity for so long. Careers are short, and those with ambition who feel their talent is unfulfilled cannot stand waiting.
"They are not interested in hearing about “long-term” projects. They make their judgment at the end of every season whether they need to move on.
"Fortunately for Liverpool, Gerrard inspired us to win the Champions League in 2005 and we were genuine contenders to win it for the next four years.
"Only the most naive will believe that the top-class players in Chelsea’s squad will be happy playing Europa League football next year. That makes them vulnerable to unrest."