BBC: Tuchel’s FIFA Best vote gives a clue about his plans for Chelsea star | OneFootball

Cole Palmer is working his way back from a groin injury that’s seen him start just four Premier League games this season, with the attacker yet to play more than 57 minutes since the opening day of the season.

He did get a goal last time out against Everton, with Thomas Tuchel there in the crowd to see it. Phil McNulty’s piece for the BBC is all about the Chelsea man and whether he’s left it too late to get into Tuchel’s England squad.

Palmer has Chelsea time – but not England time

Cole Palmer and Enzo Maresca during a warmup.

There are plenty of games left for Palmer to shine for Chelsea, that’s for sure. If he stays fit he could yet start 40 games this season. But there are so few England games left, with Tuchel already looking to have found a setup and squad he likes, that it will be almost impossible for Palmer to break in.

It’s desperately unlucky for Palmer, who was working his way into the national team starting lineup at the Euros last summer, scoring in the final in a moment which looked like it would be his breakthrough.

Instead, 2025 has seen him play just 64 minutes for the Three Lions thanks to some ill-timed injuries.

All he can focus on now is staying fit, playing well, and hoping that the former Chelsea boss is willing to take a chance on him. McNulty did spot one clue to hint at Tuchel’s thinking:

“Tuchel may have given a clue to his future thinking with the way he voted in that Fifa Best poll, placing England captain Harry Kane as top choice, followed by Palmer and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.”

In other news…

Both Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are scoring and assisting pretty effectively this season, and Maresca spoke a bit about improving them in his presser today.

Liam Delap’s injury looked pretty bad when he came off against Bournemouth – but according to Maresca’s presser, the striker could be back as soon as next week, when we play Aston Villa.