Fernandez Tipped to Exit as Palmer's City Return Remains Long Shot

Chelsea face a summer of upheaval as they navigate spending restrictions and a season without European football, with Xabi Alonso tasked with rebuilding following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign. The new manager's arrival should help attract fresh talent to the Bridge, but several established stars could be heading for the exit.

Enzo Fernandez appears destined for the door. The midfield lynchpin has caught the attention of Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid, with a price tag hovering around £100m attached to his name. Despite his occasional controversies, Fernandez has been among Chelsea's standout performers this season—the kind of player who'd leave a genuine hole if he departed. According to Chelsea expert Simon Phillips, the Argentine is "set to leave" and simply needs a suitor willing to meet the asking price.

Cole Palmer's situation presents a different picture entirely. While Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has suggested the winger "could be tempted" by a sensational return to Manchester City—where he'd reunite with manager Enzo Maresca—the pundit believes such a move remains firmly in the realm of fantasy.

"I'd be very surprised if Cole Palmer made a move back to Man City this summer," O'Rourke explained. "There's been a lot of speculation about his future and links with different clubs, but I don't see Chelsea entertaining any moves for Cole Palmer, especially now they're going to start this new project under Xabi Alonso."

The financial argument alone makes a City return improbable. While Pep Guardiola's outfit could theoretically afford Palmer, they're unlikely to splash significant funds on a player they've already sold. The connections between Palmer and City, plus his history with incoming boss Maresca, have fuelled the chatter—but according to O'Rourke, there's simply no realistic pathway for a deal.

"If he was to leave, it's not going to be a cheap deal, and maybe Man City financially could afford it, but they're not going to spend that much money on Palmer," he added. "There are obvious connections with Man City and with Enzo Maresca as well, that's probably why there has been talk that it could happen, but I would say there's no chance really."

So expect Fernandez's name to dominate the gossip columns come summer, while Palmer, for all the speculation, is likely to remain a Chelsea player under Alonso's watch.