Chelsea may find it difficult to keep hold of Cole Palmer if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season, says former Watford striker Troy Deeney.
The Blues enjoyed a positive start to season under Enzo Maresca and had even been tipped to challenge for the Premier League title. But they now only have two wins in their last nine league games and are outside of the top four.
Maresca dismissed the idea that Chelsea could content for the league this campaign, and also suggested he is under no pressure to qualify for the top four. “I didn’t say our target was top four. The club never told me the target was top four,” the Italian said prior the Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Friday which saw his side drop to sixth in the table.
“When I signed here, the target was in two years playing in the Champions League, not in one year. This is why I have said many times we are above my expectation.”
However, Deeney believes that failing to finish within the top four will have an impact on holding onto their prized asset. “They’re a billion-pound team that is still Cole Palmer or nothing,” he said on talkSPORT. “Give it to Cole Palmer and if he’s good, we’re good.
“When a manager is so blind to it and making excuses the players just eat that up. I think there’s a problem brewing with that – if you don’t get Champions League how are you going to keep him happy?”
Meanwhile, former Blues striker Loic Remy also questioned Palmer’s long-term future at the club, saying: “Chelsea players might fear that Cole Palmer will want to leave the club if they don’t compete for trophies because that is the nature of football.
“When I was at Marseille I left to join QPR because I had some value at the time, sometimes things happen in football and players move on. Palmer will want to win trophies and if Chelsea can’t do that then eventually he might decide to move on.”
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