Chelsea have endured somewhat of a drop-off in recent weeks under Enzo Maresca, failing to live up to the early standards he set for himself in the early stages of his time at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian only lost two of his first 10 Premier League matches at the helm, looking as though they could be in an unexpected title battle at one stage.
However, their form has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, losing four of the last eight matches, seeing them slip to sixth place and sitting behind Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the recent decline, with seven first-team members currently sitting on the sidelines and unable to aid the manager in his attempts to secure Champions League football.
Maresca has still been able to rely on one player who’s been the shining light in West London since his big money to the club a couple of years ago.
Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25
After his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer had an immediate impact for the Blues, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in his debut year in West London.
Such a record has made the Englishman’s task of matching such a tally this time around that little bit harder, but he’s already produced numerous moments of magic that have taken the division by storm once again.
The 22-year-old has already scored 14 times during the ongoing campaign, whilst also registering six assists for his teammates – with his combined tally the highest in the first-team squad.
His best performance undoubtedly came in the 4-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion, with Palmer scoring all four in the first half, becoming the first player in the division’s history to achieve such a feat.
Despite his excellent form under Maresca, the club may have allowed the next version of the superstar to slip through their net – making a mistake in allowing him to depart the club.
The player who could’ve been Chelsea’s next Palmer
Living up to the high standards set by Palmer is no easy feat, something which no player currently at the Bridge has managed this season given his tally of contributions.
However, the thought of having another version of the England international is a scary prospect, but one that unfortunately won’t come to reality after letting Tyler Dibling slip through their net.
The 18-year-old, who is currently starring for Southampton in the Premier League, was brought for £1.5m by the Blues back in the summer of 2022 – but it would be a move that was short-lived.
After making just two appearances for the academy, he would return to the Saints after failing to settle, with the Blues potentially living to regret their decision not to make the teenager more at home when they had the opportunity.
He’s since developed into a key member of their first team in 2024/25, making 21 appearances in the league and scoring twice – leading to journalist Eduardo Hagn labelling the talent as “outrageous”.
Dibling possesses very similar traits to Palmer, with the pair both left-footed and operating off the right-hand side and cutting onto their stronger foot after gliding past the opposition.
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How Dibling compares to Palmer in the Premier League (2024/25) |
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|---|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
Dibling |
Palmer |
|
Games played |
21 |
25 |
|
Goals & assists |
2 |
20 |
|
Shot-on-target accuracy |
39% |
39% |
|
Progressive carries |
3.8 |
3.3 |
|
Carries into final third |
2.8 |
2.1 |
|
Pass accuracy |
78% |
75% |
|
Take-ons completed |
2.1 |
1.3 |
|
Stats via FBref |
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As seen by their figures from 2024/25, the Saints star has matched or bettered Palmer in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he brings, possessing the ability to become even better given his tender age.
Whilst there was not much the club could’ve done to stand in his way at such a young age, his development away from the Bridge appears to have rubbed salt into the wounds – demonstrating what they could’ve had.
Unfortunately for the fans and Maresca, Dibling will always remain a case of what could’ve been, with the hierarchy now having to pay a fee in the region of £55m if they were to bring him back to West London in the coming months.
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