Molango has warned that Palmer is "shattered" before the end of the season. The England international has played 19 games so far this season, but his participation has been limited by injuries. In the 2023/24 season, he played the entire season, then played in the Euros and also took part in the Club World Cup last summer.

Molango says he has visited Chelsea's training ground and believes Palmer is at risk of suffering a serious injury, like other players, due to the constant demands of the match schedule.

"For us, the concern is, of course, player welfare, because when I see someone like Cole Palmer, I think he could retire if he goes to the World Cup three summers in a row without a break.

Going away for 10 weeks with the national team and then, four days later, having to be in the United States to play in the Club World Cup, which ends July 14, and then coming back two weeks later to train... I was at Chelsea's camp when they came back, and they were shattered."

The PFA executive has also revealed his empathy for Palmer, despite his staggering salary at Chelsea, and for the top players across Europe, who are repeatedly facing injuries due to the packed schedule.

He added, "This is the reality. You wonder if this is what we wanted as an industry. I'm not sure. I think sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves and understand that sometimes, less is more.

People say he's a millionaire, yes, he is, but that doesn't give you an extra lung or leg, and you get to a point where you think: I want to see Cole Palmer on the pitch because he's the one who makes me dream.

And the reality is that fans right now are paying 100% of the ticket price and, often, if they're lucky, they get 70% of the show, or 60%, because players are starting to regulate themselves.

The Premier League is the best product in football; it generates more than £4 billion over 38 matchweeks. So surely there's an element of scarcity value. Christmas is nice because it's not every Tuesday, and I think we have to figure that out, because we thought in football that more is more, and sometimes less is more.

When I look at the last international window and see Bellingham is out, Lamine Yamal is out on one side, and Lucy Bronze is out, is this the football we want to see? Because, frankly, people didn't want to spend money just to watch someone like me play."

Palmer has yet to play under Thomas Tuchel due to his ongoing injuries. His last call-up for England was in the 1-0 victory over Andorra in June. He was on the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Senegal and faces tough competition to secure the No. 10 role, given the competition from Phil Foden, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, and Jude Bellingham.

After Eze scored a hat-trick against Tottenham in November, Tim Sherwood said: "We can get a bit carried away because he scored a hat-trick in the north London derby; it's massive for Eze; it's massive for Arsenal. But if you asked me before who the most talented No. 10 is, a real No. 10, who's going to play in that central area? I'd say Eze.

He's quick; he plays with both feet. He's got everything. He has vision. He's the most talented No. 10 we have in England. If we're going to play with a No. 10, I'm not sure Thomas Tuchel wants to do that in the World Cup. If we play with a No. 10, it has to be Eze."

England will face Uruguay and Japan next month in World Cup warm-up friendlies. The possible inclusion of Palmer will reveal a lot about Tuchel's plans for him.

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