Chelsea and Arsenal legend demands Gareth Southgate gives £43m star Euros chance

Chelsea and Arsenal legend William Gallas has pleaded that England manager Gareth Southgate gives midfielder Cole Palmer the chance to impress at Euro 2024 this summer.

The former Manchester City man was the Premier League's breakthrough star last season as he emerged as the Blues' top scorer following a £42.5 million move to Stamford Bridge. The 22-year-old plundered 27 goals in all competitions with 22 of those coming in the top flight as he challenged for the Golden Boot.

Palmer is part of the England squad competing in Germany this summer but didn't feature against Serbia on Sunday as he had to settle for a role on the bench. Three Lions boss Southgate didn't even turn to the Chelsea star in the closing moments as England fought to see out a 1-0 win.

Speaking to Prime Casino, Gallas said: "I don’t know if Palmer should be starting games for England, but he is a player that I hope Gareth Southgate uses at the tournament. He didn’t come on against Serbia, which will have been disappointing for him. I thought he should have come on in that game – he could have replaced Foden, who wasn’t at his best, or Saka, who looked a bit tired in the second half.

"Palmer is the kind of player that you need in situations where you are under pressure. You can give him the ball in almost any scenario, and even though he is still young, he is a player that isn’t afraid to take responsibility."

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Gallas, who won two Premier League titles with Chelsea and played 84 times for the France national team, added that if Southgate does see Palmer as an impact sub then he should be given the time to do exactly that.

The former defender said: "I hope he is given the opportunity to show what he can do on this stage. This is a tournament where he can really show his quality if he is given the chance to do so. I don’t want to see Palmer coming on with a few minutes to go. If England give him the time his talents merits, then he will surprise a lot of people with his ability at this level."