"They’re going to sell him" - Frank Leboeuf claims Chelsea owners will sell Cole Palmer because 'they don't care about the club'
Frank Leboeuf has accused Chelsea's owners of being money-minded and ignorant of the club's interests. The Frenchman believes the Blues will sell Cole Palmer in the future.
Palmer has been a crucial player for the west Londoners since his arrival from Manchester City last year. He has swiftly established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League at Chelsea.
The Englishman has racked up 31 goals and 20 assists in 54 appearances for the Blues so far and a sale of their star player would certainly be unexpected, to say the least. However, Leboeuf does not see Chelsea retaining Palmer long-term, whom they signed from Manchester City for a reported £40 million fee.
The pundit said (via Caught Offside):
“Chelsea will go against their business model if they don’t sell. Of course the fans are going to be upset but if they don’t sell him for £100 million when they bought him for like £45 million, that would be absolutely stupid of them to forgo their trading business system."
Leboeuf also drew parallels between the Blues' board and that of Liverpool and Manchester United:
"So yes, they’re going to sell him because they don’t care [about the club]. They are there to make money, not there to get results. Results are for the fans, money are for the owners. It’s like the same thing with Manchester United, I guess Liverpool too, those boards they just want money."
The Blues will next face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday (20 October).
Frank Leboeuf believes Real Madrid 'would be stupid' to buy Chelsea star Cole Palmer
Frank Leboeuf has dismissed the notion of Real Madrid signing Cole Palmer from the Blues. He insists that it would be unwise for Los Blancos to pursue the England international given the quality of their existing squad.
Palmer has had an excellent start to the 2024-25 campaign with the west Londoners. He has recorded six goals and five assists in seven Premier League appearances so far, scoring four in Chelsea's 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on 28 September.
The 22-year-old's contract with the club runs until June 2033, having signed a two-year extension in the summer. Some pundits have backed Real Madrid to make a big-money offer for Palmer, including Liverpool icon Graeme Souness.
However, Leboeuf insists Real Madrid would be foolish to bid for him with Jude Bellingham already in their ranks. He said:
“But at the same time, that would be stupid from Real Madrid [to buy Palmer]. They don’t need him. They have Jude Bellingham. Where do you want to put Cole Palmer? On the bench?”