Arsenal icon Paul Merson has provided a fascinating, unexpected explanation for why Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer missed out on a place in England’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England manager Thomas Tuchel sent shockwaves through international football when he officially unveiled his Three Lions roster for the upcoming tournament in North America. High-profile, established stars like Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer were all controversially left out following underwhelming domestic campaigns.
While many pundits pointed to Palmer’s recent injury battles and a dip in form as the primary reasons for his omission, Merson believes the root cause traces directly back to a crucial piece of transfer business done by the Chelsea hierarchy.
The Nicolas Jackson Factor
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Merson boldly suggested that Palmer’s decline in attacking output was triggered by Chelsea’s decision to send striker Nicolas Jackson out on loan to German giants Bayern Munich last season.
According to Merson, the dynamic partnership between the two players was the engine behind Palmer’s initial explosive success at Stamford Bridge. Without Jackson’s persistent forward runs stretching opposition defenses, Palmer found himself starved of space in the final third.
“I have said it before, Palmer made Jackson and Jackson made Palmer,” Merson explained during the podcast. “Palmer’s not on that plane [to the World Cup] because Jackson’s not been there.”
A Missing Partnership Stifles Palmer’s Creativity
During the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, Chelsea struggled significantly for attacking fluency under the tactical setups of Liam Rosenior and late-season replacement Xabi Alonso. New arrivals like João Pedro tended to drop deep into the midfield pockets, inadvertently congesting the very areas Palmer thrives in.
Merson argued that while fans frequently criticized Jackson for missing big chances, his work rate and unselfish movement were precisely what unlocked Palmer’s world-class potential. Stripped of that structural chemistry, Palmer’s numbers dipped to just 5 goals this season, ultimately forcing Thomas Tuchel to favor alternative attacking options like Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, and Morgan Rogers for the Three Lions.
With Bayern Munich currently holding a permanent £70 million purchase option for Jackson, Merson’s warning is a loud wake-up call for Chelsea’s management as they plan a massive squad overhaul ahead of next season.
