Jamie Carragher has revealed that he is not sure if Chelsea Cole Palmer can keep if they cannot give up for the Champions League.
The blues delivered a weak display in a 3-0 loss of Brighton in the Premier League on Friday evening, which means that they could finish the weekend as low as sixth in the table.
Palmer, 22, cut a frustrated figure while his side was defeated by the seagulls for the second time in six days after their FA Cup loss for the same opponents last Saturday.
Carragher spoke at Sky Sports and wondered if Palmer's spirit could wander somewhere else, Chelsea was to finish outside the top four for a third consecutive season.
The former Liverpool defender pointed to the current situation of the club under Enzo Maresca and noted that the preference of the Italian in youth means that Chelsea may not be able to compete for large awards for a longer period.
Carragher said: 'The problem with the idea that this project is going to take two or three years is that the best players in the team will not wait [that long].
'Cole Palmer is one of the best players in the Premier League. He was not at his best [against Brighton] But you could feel frustrated.
'He is good enough to compete for the biggest awards in the Premier League and the Champions League. He scored in a European championship final. '
The playmaker of England has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge since he was signed in the summer of 2023 from Manchester City – but still has to perform Primeier Club competition in Europe.
Since his move to the southwest of London, he has set English football with 36 goals in 58 league matches for Chelsea.
However, his side can now run the danger from the top four after winning only two league games since mid -December.
Carragher added: 'They must get Champions League football. If they don't, it's a disaster.
“One [concerning sign] of this game [against Brighton] Was not only how poor they were, but also the signs of frustration shown by Palmer. '
Chelsea and Palmer hope to make up for back-to-back losing on the south coast when they return to action next Saturday.
They visit Aston Villa in a fixture that can prove to be crucial in the top four race.
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