As Chelsea prepare for their Premier League fixture against Arsenal, the Blues have received a huge positive in manager Enzo Maresca’s announcement that their creative midfielder Cole Palmer is fit to feature once again.
Apart from fracturing his toe after stubbing it on a door by mistake, Palmer had only a groin issue, which made his season.
“He is a starter and can play,” Maresca fresh from his press conference on Friday said. “Success is with us – teammates, staff – but most importantly, Cole is the happiest because every footballer in the world wants to be on the pitch.”
Up to this point, Palmer’s participation in any competitions has been four times, scoring two goals. Upon his move from Manchester City to Chelsea in 2023, he has turned into one of the main offensive attractions of the Blues’ sets, as he has been able to hit the net 45 times and provide 29 assists in 101 games.
“He is our brightest light,” Maresca added. “We really have to give him freedom to regain full fitness, but there is no question that he will keep doing amazing things for this team.”
Currently, Chelsea are sitting second on the log with 23 points from 12 games of which they are six points behind the leaders Arsenal. Maresca, however, after the good start to the league, is still pointing out that the Chelsea team should not talk about the title yet.
“We are still in the early stages,” he cautioned. “The thing that counts is still being in this position in March or April — then I will understand.”
