Could Cole Palmer to Man Utd happen? Chelsea told what transfer is ‘dependent’ on as former Blues star Joe Cole makes ‘top level’ admission

That could have far-reaching implications for the Blues, with exit talk already beginning to build in west London. Enzo Fernandez, who has fired the club into another FA Cup final, has made no secret of the fact that he would like to base himself in Madrid at some point.

Palmer is supposedly planning a relocation of his own, with the 23-year-old prepared to bid farewell to the bright lights of the English capital and head back to his home city in the North West.

Having grown up as a United fan, before coming through the academy system at City, Chelsea may find it difficult to remove emotion from any transfer discussions. They would be reluctant sellers - having seen Palmer become a global superstar while on their books - and would demand a sizable fee from any sale, but could their hand be forced?

When that question was put to three-time Premier League title winner Cole, the former Blues playmaker - who has dusted off his boots and come out of retirement to play for and find the target for Warley FC, Specsavers’ Best Worst Team, in a 3-1 win - told GOAL: “Obviously, we want him to stay at Chelsea, he's been a great player for the club. He still is a great player for the club.

“I think the situation with Chelsea is Champions League dependent for a lot of these players. No matter how long you have players tied on contracts, you don't want unhappy players. And if you're not, as a club, delivering the platform for Cole Palmer to play on, at the very least, his head's going to be turned. Because he wants to play at the top level in football. Of course he does. Again, it's going to be Champions League dependent. We'll have to see what happens in the summer.”

Chelsea have Palmer, who is expected to form part of England’s World Cup squad this summer, tied to terms through to 2033. They have seen him register 53 goals for the club through 126 appearances, becoming a PFA Young Player of the Year in the process.

The enigmatic midfielder has maintained his grassroots mentality since breaking through into the professional ranks, with his street style approach reminiscent of those that enjoy a kickabout with friends at the park.

Asked if English football is producing enough of those players, with there now more distractions than ever for aspiring youngsters, Cole - who was cut from similar cloth - added: “We do. We've got Morgan Rodgers, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer. We have Jude Bellingham in that category, although he's a slightly different skill set.

“I do think we are. I think we're starting to see it - Max Dowman’s coming through, Ethan Nwaneri, two boys there at Arsenal, number 10s. We have talented, technical players.

“If anything, you'd probably say the successor to Harry Kane we haven't identified yet. So maybe number 9s is something. We used to have an abundance of them, but now we're heavily reliant on Harry. Although it’s great to see Ollie Watkins scoring goals again. I think the skillful players, we have got enough of them.”

England do have an abundance of creative options from which to select heading towards another bid for global glory on North American soil - with Thomas Tuchel being charged with the task of plucking the very best from that ever-deepening talent pool.

Cole once graced the World Cup finals himself, while winning 56 caps for the Three Lions, and will be among those watching on from afar as Palmer enters what could be a decisive summer in his career with both club and country.

Warley FC's transformation is being documented by Specsavers in its ‘Best Worst Team’ YouTube series. Watch Joe Cole in episode 9 and subscribe to the Specsavers’ Best Worst Team YouTube Channel to follow the team's journey.