£150m rated Chelsea star warned over Real Madrid transfer links

Gabriel Agbonlahor recently shut down the idea of Cole Palmer landing a dream move to Real Madrid during a blunt segment on talkSPORT Breakfast. The former striker argued that the Chelsea playmaker needs to focus on getting back to his best at Stamford Bridge before even thinking about a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rumours made the rounds over the weekend suggesting that European giants like Bayern Munich and Manchester United are keeping tabs on the situation, with Palmer reportedly considering his options for the summer. Even with the interest, Chelsea officials have reportedly slapped a massive £150 million price tag on their star man to scare off any potential bidders.

Agbonlahor pointed out that Real Madrid are already stacked with talent in similar roles, specifically name-dropping young stars like Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz. He questioned why the Spanish giants would bother chasing the England international when they already have plenty of depth in those creative spots.

The pundit also noted that Palmer’s recent displays have dropped off significantly compared to his breakout year. Agbonlahor’s advice was simple: put your head down and focus on your current job instead of looking for an exit while out of form. He insisted that players shouldn’t be looking for a way out when they aren’t even hitting their own usual standards on the pitch.

“I don’t think they’d want him, Real Madrid,” Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT Breakfast.

“I don’t think they do. They players that they’ve got, (Arda) Guler, (Brahim) Diaz, they’ve got enough players in those positions.”

“How about just stay at Chelsea, get your head down and get your form back,” Agbonlahor said. “How about that? When you’re not performing and not playing to your level, then you want to leave?

“That’s not an option for me.” 

Will Chelsea’s reliance on Cole Palmer stifle his development?

The 23-year-old England star is in a bit of a problematic situation. While he’s still incredible on the ball, his habit of drifting inside from the right onto his left foot is well-known, and his recent lack of defensive work has started to stand out as a real issue.

While players like Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise are thriving in settled systems at Bayern Munich, Palmer often has to do all the heavy lifting for a Chelsea side that’s still struggling to find a tactical identity. It’s a bit of a catch at 22; he looks like a superstar in a mid-table team, but he might find it hard to fit into the strict structure of a club like Real Madrid.

Right now, staying in West London seems like the smartest move for his development. Heading to Manchester United would likely lead to him stepping on the toes of Bruno Fernandes, who is still racking up assists at Old Trafford. If Palmer wants to live up to that £150 million valuation, he has to show he can change games even when defenders start to figure him out.

£100m Italian star has opened the doors for a Chelsea move this summer – Should the Blues make a move?

Chelsea need to put a more balanced midfield around him so their best player doesn’t burn out or become too easy to read. Palmer clearly has the vision to be world-class, but he needs a consistent season to prove the doubters wrong and show that this dip in form is just a temporary slump, not the new normal.