Cole Palmer Fitness Update: Should You Pick Him for FPL Gameweek 1?

Cole Palmer was a key pick in 2023/24 Premier League Fantasy.

The midfielder had an exceptional debut season at Chelsea and was FPL’s top scorer, starting the campaign on a ridiculously low £5m. There was simply no alternative to the English international goalscorer.

Although Palmer has more than doubled in price in 2024/25 FPL, he remains an extremely popular choice for a Chelsea squad under new management. However, after 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 22-year-old’s latest fitness update.

Is Cole Palmer fit for FPL Gameweek 1?

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

Palmer played his first pre-season game of the summer last Sunday, but only played in the second half on the bench. He passed the 1-1 draw with Serie A champions Inter unharmed, but it may be some time before he is in playing condition.

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

What did Enzo Maresca say about Cole Palmer?

Maresca did not elaborate on Palmer following last weekend’s friendly draw with Inter but admitted the Chelsea star, along with several of his team-mates, need to prepare for the new season.

It remains to be seen whether Palmer will be able to do so ahead of Sunday’s clash with Man City, but Palmer’s importance to Chelsea suggests he is likely to feature in some capacity. However, given the wealth of options at the Blues’ disposal, he could be used on the bench.

Cole Palmer Alternatives in FPL Gameweek 1

Given that Cole Palmer (£10.5m) is now so expensive, the only midfielder who is beyond the reach of 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 into your team.

Bukayo Saka (£10m) and Son Heung-min (£10 million) They are 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) They are also excellent options for Man City, but the former could also be rested for the first week.

For an even cheaper price, you have Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) of Manchester United and Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) from Arsenal. Both are important creators for their teams and should get some impressive points at the end of the campaign.