After Thomas Tuchel reportedly ‘disliked his personality’, Paul Merson reveals another reason why Cole Palmer missed England’s FIFA World Cup squad

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes Cole Palmer struggled for form because Nicolas Jackson was no longer part of the Chelsea attack. The pundit claimed Palmer’s performances declined after Chelsea allowed Jackson to leave on loan to Bayern Munich last summer.

Merson argued that Jackson’s movement and link-up play created space for Palmer in the final third. Without that partnership, Chelsea failed to get the best out of their star midfielder. Palmer eventually missed out on a place in England’s FIFA World Cup squad, and Merson believes the absence of Jackson played a major role in that outcome. However, they were also reports that manager Thomas Tuchel wants to build a squad around experience and good chemistry with players that have a good personality.

Paul Merson says Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer improved each other at Chelsea

Speaking on 'The Good, The Bad and The Football' podcast, Paul Merson explained that Chelsea are entering a completely new phase under incoming manager Xabi Alonso. He said the club now has a high-level coach who can command respect from both supporters and players. However, Merson also insisted that Chelsea still need major changes within the squad before they can compete again at the top level.

The former England international strongly suggested Chelsea should cancel Jackson’s loan spell and bring him back to Stamford Bridge immediately. According to Merson, the striker’s importance goes beyond goals because his movement opens spaces for teammates and improves the overall attacking system.

Merson also questioned the impact of new arrivals Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. He explained that Delap still looks inexperienced at the highest level, while Joao Pedro naturally prefers dropping deeper into midfield areas. In his view, that style limits space in attack and makes life harder for creative players like Palmer.

Bayern Munich reportedly hold an option to sign Jackson permanently for around £70 million. However, the German champions have not yet made a final decision on activating the clause.

Chelsea’s problems increased after they failed to qualify for European football next season. A disappointing defeat against Sunderland on the final day of the campaign left the Blues in 10th place in the Premier League table.

Missing out on Europe could now create further uncertainty around the squad. Key players including Enzo Fernandez, Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella have all been linked with possible moves away from the club in recent weeks.

Alonso now faces a huge task before the new season begins. The Spaniard must convince Chelsea’s top players to stay while also rebuilding the squad to challenge for a return to the UEFA Champions League.




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