According to the British outlet 'Caught Offside', on the 24th (Korean time), journalist Simon Phillips, who is well-informed about Chelsea, said, "Liverpool is exploring the possibility of acquiring Cole Palmer in this summer transfer market. This is somewhat surprising approach." Liverpool is reportedly viewing Palmer as a resource that could replace Luis Diaz, Kodi Gakpo, and DIO Jota.

Palmer, born in 2002 and a product of Manchester City's youth, grew up with Manchester City from the age of 6 and made his first-team debut under coach Pep Guardiola. However, he did not secure playing opportunities amid fierce competition for starting positions and ultimately donned the Chelsea jersey in the summer of 2023 for £45 million (approximately 85.7 billion won).

Since the transfer, Palmer has displayed a completely transformed appearance. In the 2023-2024 season, he had an incredible performance with 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 games, ranking second in league scoring, and won both the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award and the Young Player award. He has also recorded a respectable 14 goals and 8 assists in 39 games this season.

Palmer is a left-footed playmaker with smooth ball control and powerful kick strength, possessing tactical utility that allows him to be utilized across various positions. With exceptional football intelligence and composure, he is responsible for passing, set pieces, and penalty kicks, playing a key role in the team’s attack. While his high dependence on his dominant foot is a drawback, it does not manifest as a major weakness due to the high quality of his left foot.

However, it is true that Palmer has not scored since his last goal against Bournemouth in January, extending his goalless period. Nonetheless, there are not many who raise doubts about his potential. In fact, reports indicate that both Real Madrid and his former team Manchester City are showing interest in Palmer.

Souness stated in an interview with 'Sports Bible' last year that "Chelsea brought Palmer in for £40 million, but if this form continues, Real Madrid could pay £150 million." He remarked, "He is currently the most impressive player in the Premier League." Despite already having superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrigo, there is analysis that Real Madrid sees Palmer as the next generation "Galactico."

Chelsea is unlikely to easily part with Palmer. According to journalist Phillips, Chelsea considers Palmer to be "not for sale." In fact, when Real Madrid showed interest last year, Chelsea set Palmer's transfer fee at €200 million (approximately 325 billion won) and locked the door.

Still, Liverpool's movements are intriguing. There are analyses suggesting that head coach Jurgen Klopp has identified Palmer as a key figure in the new system following his departure, and if Chelsea fails to qualify for European competitions, Palmer's future may resurface.

그럼에도 리버풀의 움직임은 흥미롭다. 위르겐 클롭 감독이 떠난 뒤 새로운 체제의 핵심으로 파머를 점찍었다는 분석도 나오며, 첼시가 유럽대항전 진출에 실패할 경우 파머의 미래도 다시금 수면 위로 떠오를 수 있다.

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