Paul Merson names 21-year-old Chelsea star as his current favorite Blues player

Paul Merson has named 21-year-old Chelsea star Cole Palmer as his current favorite Blues player. The former footballer recently conducted a Q&A session on social media, where a fan asked him about his favorite player at Stamford Bridge.

Under manager Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea have been struggling in the Premier League this season. In the 27 games, they have won 11, lost 10, and drawn six to find themselves in 11th place (39 points). However, Cole Palmer has quickly become a glimmer of optimism for the side.

In the summer transfer window, he opted to leave Manchester City for Chelsea. Since then, he has had a big influence, making 34 appearances in all competitions while tallying 14 goals and dishing out 12 assists.

His exceptional performances also saw him getting called up to the England squad in November, and he will feature in the upcoming international friendlies. He looks set to face Brazil and Belgium this month, provided he is fit enough to play both games. There are reports that the Blues are looking to hand him a wage hike, thanks to his performances and outings for England (via GiveMeSport).

The Blues will be keeping a close eye on Palmer's development with the national squad, as he continues to impress former players and pundits like Paul Merson.

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Chelsea warned about potential FFP penalty, told to sell three players

Chelsea have significant financial difficulties. If they want to stay out of trouble with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, they must sell players for more than £100 million, according to football finance expert Stefan Borson.

Football clubs in the Premier League are permitted to lose only up to £105 million in three years under the rules. For disobeying these rules, other teams like Everton and Nottingham Forest have lost points. Chelsea have spent more than £1 billion since new owners took over in May 2022, which has prompted worries about possible fines.

Borson thinks the Blues are in a bad condition. In an interview with TalkSPORT (via Metro), he said that in order to fulfill FFP regulations, Chelsea will need to sell a few important players by June 30.

"Really, they have to find buyers for Trevoh Chalobah for £20m, Armando Broja for £40m, and Conor Gallagher for £50m. It’s those sort of deals that need to be done. And by the way, they all need to be done by June 30. That, as we know, is articulated within the Forest decision."

The need for the Blues to sell players quickly and with a sound financial plan is essential to avoiding FFP fines. It may not be easy for them to sell players before June 30, as a date for the opening of the transfer window has not been confirmed yet.