Cole Palmer asks to leave as £84m deal falls through – Chelsea's nightmare transfer window

Chelsea have already been busy in the summer transfer window, with Todd Boehly wasting no time in splashing his cash on new players. The Blues have welcomed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman to Stamford Bridge but there is still plenty of time for things to go awry.

Express Sport takes a look at the nightmare scenario for Chelsea this summer, with Cole Palmer able to throw their plans into disarray…

Cole Palmer asks to leave

The worst-case scenario for Chelsea would be if Palmer decides that it would be in his best interests to leave Stamford Bridge. The former Manchester City youngster only joined the Blues last summer but has already established himself as their best player, scoring 27 goals in all competitions last season.

Palmer remains tied down to Chelsea until 2030 but it has been speculated that he could push for an exit in order to play Champions League football. Such a development would be catastrophic for the west Londoners, who will be relying on Palmer to lead their charge back to the Premier League’s upper reaches.

Victor Osimhen deal falls through

Chelsea are known to be on the lookout for a new striker, with Enzo Maresca eager to boost his attacking options before the new season gets underway. Victor Osimhen has been linked with the Blues for a number of years and is thought to be on their list of striking targets this summer.

Initial talks have already taken place at club level, with Corriere dello Sport reporting that Napoli would be willing to accept a fee in the region of £84million. It marks a steep departure from the value of his release clause, which currently stands at nearly £111m.

Osimhen has shown that he can score goals at the very highest level and would arguably be the perfect man to lead the line for Chelsea next season. However, the Blues would be forced to settle for a lesser option if discussions break down without a deal being agreed.

Two key players join Premier League rivals

Conor Gallagher and Ben Chilwell have been widely tipped to leave Stamford Bridge this summer as part of a clear-out behind the scenes. The likes of Atletico Madrid and Tottenham are said to be interested in signing Gallagher, who has just entered the final year of his deal with the Blues.

A move to Spain would be the ideal solution for Chelsea as it would mean they would not have to face Gallagher in the Premier League. In contrast, a move to Tottenham would force the Blues to come up against him while also strengthening their north London rivals.

Chilwell, meanwhile, is reportedly the subject of surprise interest from Manchester United with Erik ten Hag on the hunt for a new left-sided defender. Chelsea would ideally like to avoid selling Chilwell to any team, let alone the Red Devils, given his importance to their plans when fully fit.