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Published February 3, 2025 6:09pm Updated February 3, 2025 6:11pm
Ben Chilwell is set to join Crystal Palace on loan and finally end his Chelsea nightmare – but Paul Merson has one concern over the transfer.
The left-back has played just 45 minutes of football this season – as a sub in a Carabao Cup match – after being exiled from Chelsea’s first-team by Enzo Maresca.
Part of the infamous ‘bomb squad’, Chilwell was unable to secure a transfer last summer, but will now move to Selhurst Park on deadline day.
He’ll sign on loan until the end of the season, with Palace to cover less than half of his £200,000-a-week wages.
The move seems to suit all parties, with the defender keen for game time as he looks to fight his way back into the England team, now managed by his former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.
However, former Arsenal and Three Lions star Merson is worried that they may be no place for the 28-year-old in Palace’s current starting XI.
‘I like Chilwell. He’s a good player, hasn’t played a lot,’ Merson, a lifelong Chelsea fan, told Sky Sports.
‘But [Tyrick] Mitchell’s done nothing wrong, has he? And the other lad on the other side [Daniel Munoz] has been absolutely outstanding as well.
‘But I like him. I like the way he’s acted at Chelsea. He’s put his head down, he hasn’t thrown his toys out the pram. A proper player.
‘He needs to play football. He’s staying in London, I think this is an opportunity that ticks all the boxes.
‘But I’d be disappointed if I were Mitchell. I think Mitchell’s done all right this season.’
Mitchell is – and has been for some time – the only senior left-back at Palace and has enjoyed a good campaign so far, putting in another strong performance on Sunday as the Eagles won 2-0 at Manchester United.
There has been suggestion that Chilwell could actually feature at centre-back for Oliver Glasner’s side following Chadi Riad’s season ending injury and Trevoh Chalobah’s recall to Chelsea.
Asked about this possibility, Merson added: ‘Yeah maybe… unless this is a domino effect and they know Marc Guehi’s going to go and then he can play in a back-three. That might be the case.’
It was revealed on deadline that Palace had rejected a £70million offer from Tottenham for captain Guehi, who seems destined for a summer transfer with his contract up in 18 months’ time.
For now, the 24-year-old will remain in south London and could play alongside Chilwell next Monday in the FA Cup clash at Doncaster Rovers.
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