Chelsea star Cole Palmer sends message to summer signing as he joins first-team training after long injury absence

Chelsea attacker Cole Palmer reacted to Romeo Lavia's Instagram post which hinted that the Belgian midfielder will soon return to action.

Both players know each other well from their Manchester City days. Palmer and Lavia shared the pitch 22 times for the Cityzens' U21 and U23 sides, managing two joint goal contributions in the process.

Following his developmental days at Manchester City, the Belgium international joined Southampton in the summer of 2022 for a reported €22.26 million fee. He made 34 appearances for the Saints, bagging a goal and an assist each before securing a reported €62.1 million deal to Stamford Bridge this summer.

However, Palmer and Lavia are yet to play beside one another for the Blues owing to the latter's fitness concerns. The 19-year-old midfielder has been struggling with an ankle issue, which has kept him from making his Chelsea debut.

It now looks as though Lavia is nearing his first competitive appearance for the Blues. Sharing images of his return to first-team training, the ex-Southampton man posted:

"🔜🙏🏾🧘🏿‍♂️"

Reacting to his colleague's social media post, Palmer commented:

"Hurry up."

Cole Palmer's comment on Lavia's post (via Getty Images)

The England international, 21, also joined the west London giants this summer in a reported €47 million transfer. Since then, he's established himself as a starter in Mauricio Pochettino's XI, bagging six goals and three assists from 14 Premier League appearances.

However, Chelsea are struggling in the English top flight, and are placed 10th with 22 points to their name. Up next for the Blues is a trip to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday (December 24).

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Pundit says Romeo Lavia's Chelsea transfer was a panic buy

Romeo Lavia (via Getty Images)

ESPN pundit Don Hutchison has said Romeo Lavia's purchase from Southampton in the summer was a panic buy. He also put former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo's reported £115 million (€133 million) move to Stamford Bridge in the same bracket.

It is worth mentioning that both midfielders were reportedly the subject of an intense transfer tussle with Liverpool. The Reds ultimately failed to sign both players, with the duo moving to west London instead.

Addressing the Blues' signings, Hutchison said (via Daily Post):

“I was chatting to a mate of mine, a Liverpool fan, and it was like you look back at the transfer window and you go Liverpool nearly bought [Moises] Caicedo, but Chelsea’s plan was, ‘Oh, we’ll buy him.'"

"Then Liverpool said, ‘All right, then, we’ll buy Lavia’, and then Chelsea went, ‘Oh, we’ll buy him!’ And they were just panic buying everywhere."

Once Lavia returns to full fitness, the Blues will have several options in the middle of the park to choose from. Enzo Fernandes, Lavia, Caicedo, and Conor Gallagher can all perform the number six and number eight role.

With Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku set to battle it out for the number ten position, only two midfield slots remain up for grabs for these aforementioned names.