Maresca addresses Palmer’s Chelsea future amid Champions League race

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has spoken about Cole Palmer’s future at the club as the Blues fight for a Champions League spot.

Once in second place, Chelsea have slipped to seventh and are now in a tight race for European qualification.

Palmer, who has failed to score or assist in his last five league games, has looked frustrated, fueling speculation about his future if Chelsea miss out on the top four.

Maresca, however, remains optimistic about Palmer’s commitment.

“First of all, we need to see how we finish,” Maresca said. “If we don’t finish in the top four, we’ll see if Cole is happy or not. But right now, he’s focused on helping the team.”

The manager also defended Palmer’s recent struggles and emphasized that Chelsea must reduce their reliance on him.

“Everyone sees Cole as the solution, but the solution has to be the team,” he added.

Chelsea, with just nine points from their last ten matches, will look to revive their campaign against Southampton on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge.