August 13th 2024.
Paul Merson, a well-known football pundit, recently expressed his confusion over Cole Palmer's new nine-year contract. According to Merson, the talented midfielder's performance may not live up to the high expectations set by his remarkable debut season at Chelsea in 2023/24, where he scored an impressive 25 goals and made 15 assists in all competitions. Despite still having seven years remaining on his previous contract, the club's management was clearly impressed and decided to reward him with an improved deal.
As the new season approaches, all eyes will be on Palmer to see if he can replicate his astonishing form. However, Merson believes that the pressure and expectation may be too much for the 22-year-old to handle. He predicts that opposing teams will now make it their main objective to stop Palmer from performing at his best. "He's had an unbelievable season and he is a good player, but now every team will be focused on stopping him," Merson said on Sky Sports.
Merson also expressed doubts about Palmer's ability to score 15 goals this season, given the increased attention he will receive from opponents. He compared Palmer's situation to that of former Arsenal player, Emmanuel Adebayor, who was given a new contract after an impressive season but failed to replicate his form due to being constantly marked by the opposition. Merson believes that if Palmer manages to score 15 goals this season, it would be a remarkable achievement.
In addition to his doubts about Palmer's performance, Merson also criticized Chelsea's policy of handing out long-term contracts, which has become more prevalent since Todd Boehly took over as the owner of the club. Merson believes that the club is making a mistake by offering extremely long deals, as it is impossible to predict how a player will develop over such a long period of time. "They don't know what they're doing. How can you tell what he [Palmer] is going to be like in nine years' time?" Merson stated.
Merson further highlighted the inconsistency of such long-term contracts by pointing out the example of Joao Cancelo, who was considered a top player at Manchester City three years ago but is now no longer a part of the team. He also mentioned how promising young players like Conor Gallagher are being let go because they are only offered short-term deals. Merson believes that it is impossible to predict a player's future and that offering such long contracts is a risky move.
As the new season approaches, there will be a lot of pressure and scrutiny on Cole Palmer to live up to his potential and justify his new nine-year contract. Only time will tell if he can handle the pressure and continue to impress on the field.
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