Cole Palmer was an essential pick in 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League.

The midfielder enjoyed an exceptional debut season at Chelsea and was the highest points-scorer in FPL, starting the campaign at a ridiculously low £5m. There was simply no alternative to the free-scoring England international.

While Palmer has more than doubled in price in 2024/25 FPL, he remains an extremely popular choice for a Chelsea side under new management. However, following a busy summer of Euro 2024 action with England, he is a doubt to start the Blues’ opening match of the campaign.

Here’s the latest fitness update on the 22-year-old.

Don’t fear Chelsea fans, Palmer is not injured. However, after a busy summer of international football in which England reached the Euro 2024 final – Palmer scoring in the 2-1 defeat to Spain – the youngster has only just returned from an extended break.

Palmer played his first pre-season match of the summer last Sunday but only featured for the second half from the bench. He came through the 1-1 draw with Serie A champions Inter unscathed but it may take some time before he is match sharp.

As a result, new boss Enzo Maresca may be tempted to rest him against his former employers Manchester City in Chelsea’s Premier League opener on Sunday afternoon.

Maresca didn’t go into detail on Palmer after the friendly draw with Inter last weekend but did admit the Chelsea star, along with several of his teammates, needs to get match fit for the new season.

Whether Palmer will be able to do that prior to Sunday’s clash with Man City remains to be seen but Palmer’s significance to Chelsea suggests he’s likely to feature in some capacity. However, given the wealth of options available to the Blues, he may be used from the bench.

Given Cole Palmer (£10.5m) is now so expensive, the only midfielder that is out of reach for managers looking to replace the Chelsea midfielder is Mohamed Salah (£12.5m). However, if you can, you should probably find a way to get the Liverpool star in your team.

Bukayo Saka (£10m) and Son Heung-min (£10m) are both fantastic premium options and start the season with fairly easy matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City respectively. Phil Foden (£9.5) and Kevin De Bruyne (£9.5m) are also excellent choices for Man City, but the former may be rested for Gameweek 1, too.

At an even cheaper price, you have Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) of Manchester United and Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) of Arsenal. Both are key creators for their sides and should manage some impressive points hauls come the end of the campaign.

CATCH UP ON THE LATEST FPL NEWS, HOT PICKS & TIPS TO WIN YOUR LEAGUE