Cole Palmer says a groin problem nearly ended with surgery, and that the rushed return after injury left him unable to play the way he wanted. Chelsea's forward was limited to 10 goals in 26 league appearances in 2025/26, then spoke openly about the reset that followed. He is back in Chelsea training with a cleaner bill of health and a sharper message.

Palmer's injury reset

Palmer said, "The first few months, with me being injured, I just wanted to go out and play, which I probably shouldn't have done. Obviously I couldn't play how I wanted to play. It was a bad season personally with injuries and stuff but I feel good now. The seven weeks obviously helped. I'm ready to go again."

He also confirmed that he travelled to Sweden or Denmark to see a doctor and discuss the groin problem. "We did speak about it. But I didn't end up getting it," he said. That is the part that explains the season more cleanly than the raw goal total does, because Palmer is describing a player trying to force himself through something that was already limiting him.

Chelsea will care about the simple version: if Palmer feels good, he tends to make the attack look more alive. His last five Premier League appearances carry a 6.82 average rating, and he has played 482 minutes across his last five club matches, which suggests the manager is not treating him like someone to ease back in slowly.

The England snub and what comes next

Palmer also said being left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad has given him another edge. "Yeah, naturally, if anyone tells you you're essentially not good enough to get in the squad, you're going to try and go harder," he said.

That is a fair response, and it fits the way Palmer has spoken about the injury. The summer break mattered, but so did the irritation of being told he was not part of Tuchel's plans. Chelsea's 10th-place finish in the 2025 Premier League only sharpens the point. They need the healthier version of Palmer, not the one trying to sprint through pain.

There is also the wider Chelsea picture, with Morgan Rogers arriving from Aston Villa after a £117 million move. Palmer joked about Rogers using his trademarked "cold" celebration, and he said, "Nah, we'll do it together." Whether that becomes a real attacking link will unfold later, but Palmer's immediate task is simpler: stay fit, keep the groin issue away, and turn the reset into a stronger start to the new season.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →