Chelsea’s 25-goal sensation ‘may not play’ at all for England at Euro 2024 as Newcastle United ace name-checked

Alan Shearer believes Cole Palmer might not kick a ball at Euro 2024 despite his Premier League heroics.

The 22-year-old was nominated for Player of the Season after a stellar campaign for Chelsea. Eyebrows were raised when the Blues stumped up £40million to sign the Manchester City academy product - but 25 goals later and few question the transfer now.

Palmer won the under-21 Euros last summer - alongside Newcastle United ace Anthony Gordon - and earned his first senior cap in November. Gareth Southgate named both players in this summer’s squad but they are yet to feature.

Supporters are calling for the duo to be given a chance following England’s drab start in Germany. While qualification for the knockout stages is all but secured, the Three Lions have limped through unconvincingly against Serbia and Denmark.

Pressure is on Southgate to ring the changes ahead of tonight’s final group game with Slovenia. However, Toon icon Shearer would not be surprised to see Palmer sidelined for 90 minutes again.

“He must be sitting there thinking,"What have I got to do to get in?” Shearer told The Rest Is Football podcast. “I know they won the first one. For 35 minutes they were good. The rest, not so good.”

They weren’t great against Denmark for the whole game, even when they went 1-0 up. He must be thinking ‘What do I do to even get half an hour in this team?’ And exactly the same with Anthony Gordon.

“He may not play a part, Cole Palmer. I think it all depends on how the game is going. I don’t expect he (Southgate) will make wholesale changes. Maybe one or two at most. But I would be surprised if Palmer is in the XI (against Denmark).”