**Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana claims that Cole Palmer possesses a similar level of ability to Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.**
Palmer scored on his return to the starting lineup against Everton at the weekend, and asked about what his teammate brings to the team, Fofana replied:
“He’s from a different planet. He’s close to the likes of Mbappe and Dembele, very, very close. I play with them for France, and they’re very good players, but he’s right at the top.”
“Everyone can see it, even though he only played 58 minutes; the fans can see his importance. He’s the best player in our team when he’s on the pitch. He’s different. He’s a star.”
Palmer’s fitness is still a concern
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As Fofana mentions, the England international lasted less than an hour before being substituted during the 2-0 win against the Toffees on Saturday.
In his post-match interview, Palmer admitted that he is still having to manage the groin injury that has plagued him since the summer. It means he is unlikely to be playing every few days over the festive period.
Chelsea will just be glad to have the midfielder back
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Palmer’s presence in the starting lineup is a big boost for the Blues and head coach Enzo Maresca. The way he got free of his marker and slotted away the opening goal against Everton is the type of play that the team has been missing in his absence.
When he is deployed as the no.10, there is no doubt that the team is a much more effective and potent in the final third of the pitch. While [**he may not start against Cardiff City**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-predicted-lineup-cardiff-city/) in the Carabao Cup, he should be in the side for the next Premier League fixture against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.
[**Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-first-team-squad/)