While results have been a little all over the place in recent weeks, Chelsea have built themselves an incredible squad over the years.
Moreover, the West Londoners have been able to stay in the Premier League's top four this year despite being without their crown jewel for much of the campaign: Cole Palmer.
The former Manchester City gem has been transformational for the Blues since his arrival in the summer of 2023, and now that he's coming back to fitness, he could have something to say about the title race.
Palmer
With that said, Chelsea did once have a player on their books who, over the last year or so, has arguably been even better than Palmer.
Palmer's return to fitness
In his first season with Chelsea, Palmer racked up a frankly absurd tally of 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances.
He then followed that up with a slightly less absurd, but nonetheless world-class haul of 18 goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances last season.
In other words, while he's not the Blues' only attacker, he is undoubtedly their most important, and therefore his absence this year has been a problem.
Palmer
Fortunately, after a few setbacks, the Englishman made his much-anticipated return to the team in their 3-1 defeat to Leeds United.
Now, he missed an opportunity in that game and failed to score or assist in the following match against Bournemouth, but he finally got back up and running against Everton at the weekend.
The game-changing international got on the end of a Malo Gusto pass, got into the penalty area and calmly slotted home, brushing aside any cobwebs that might've been there.
In all, Chelsea should be a far more dangerous prospect now Palmer is back in the side, although had they managed to keep hold of a youngster almost a decade ago, they'd be even more unstoppable.
International superstar is better than Palmer 9 years after leaving
As with all clubs of their size, Chelsea have missed out on plenty of young talents in the past.
Be that through the club deeming them not good enough, like Decelan Rice, or essentially being forced to let go, as was the case with Jamal Musiala.
One youngster who turned into an international superstar and doesn't really fit into either is Michael Olise, who, according to former youth coach Sean Conlon, left the Blues at 14 by "mutual consent."
The dynamic winger would then spend some time in Manchester City's youth set-up before moving to Reading, where he made his first-team debut and following a season in which he produced 19 goal involvements, secured an £8m move to Crystal Palace.
The South Londoners provided the Frenchman a platform to show the wider footballing world just how good a player he was, and that's exactly what he did.
michael-olise-crystal-palace-premier-league
After three seasons south of the River, in which he produced 41 goal involvements in 90 appearances, which was enough for manager Oliver Glasner to call him "one of the best talents in the world."
It was also enough to tempt Bayern Munich into spending a whopping £50m on him, which a year and a half later looks like a steal considering some reports now value him at £123m.
Olise's Bayern Record
Appearances
Minutes
Goals
Assists
Goal Involvements per Match
Minutes per Goal Involvement
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Since moving to the German giants, the game-changing "magician," as dubbed by Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano, has scored 29 goals and provided 37 assists in 79 appearances, totalling 5781 minutes.
That comes out to a genuinely world-class average of a goal involvement every 1.19 games, or every 87.59 minutes.
Olise vs Palmer in 2024-25 (timeless)
Unsurprisingly, this does beat out Palmer's tally of 21 goals, 14 assists in 59 appearances, totalling 4627 minutes across the same period.
Although that does still translate to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.68 games, or every 132.2 minutes.
Ultimately, while Chelsea have a bona fide superstar in Palmer, the club must regret allowing Olise to leave almost a decade ago, especially as he's outperformed the Englishman since his move to Germany.
Palmer Related
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