Gareth Southgate confirms Chelsea star is out of Brazil clash; could return against Belgium

England manager Gareth Southgate has stated that Chelsea summer signing Cole Palmer will miss his national team's friendly against Brazil at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (March 23).

Palmer, who made his England debut last November, has been a revelation for the Blues since arriving from Manchester City in a potential £45 million switch. The 21-year-old has bagged 14 goals and laid out 12 assists in 34 overall appearances for his club this season.

However, Palmer is believed to be one of several players currently training indoors for the Three Lions ahead of their clash against Brazil. Earlier on Friday, Southgate opined on the player, saying (h/t Metro):

"Tomorrow no Harry Kane, no Jordan Henderson, no Cole Palmer. I would say Cole and Hendo have a better chance of Belgium than Harry. He would be extremely doubtful for that."

After their friendly clash against the five-time FIFA World Cup winners, England will face Belgium on March 26. Palmer could return from his minor knock and make his third appearance for his country next Tuesday.

Southgate, who guided England to the UEFA Euro 2020 final, added:

"It means it's a brilliant opportunity for other players. We need to see other players ahead of the Euros. If we were playing lesser teams, you'd still have that question in your mind if they played well, 'Okay, how are they going to be against the next level of opposition?' So from our perspective, it's a great exercise and opportunity."

In the Chelsea star's absence, Southgate is likely to offer Manchester City ace Phil Foden a start against Brazil in his 4-3-3 system. He could also hand Jarrod Bowen a rare start in preparation for the Euro 2024.

Reporter opines on star's future at Chelsea

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth suggested that Conor Gallagher is relishing life at his club despite recent transfer speculations. He said:

"It's difficult to tell whether a summer exit is possible. If you look at what's happening on the pitch, and when Mauricio Pochettino and Conor Gallagher speak, he loves it at Chelsea. Pochettino loves him at Chelsea as well."

Claiming that Gallagher is a key performer for the Blues, Sheth added:

"When Reece James has been injured for the majority of the season and Ben Chilwell has been out for big parts of the season, Conor Gallagher has been the Chelsea captain because Pochettino trusts him. He picks him every single week. He is a first-team player alongside Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo."

Gallagher, who has been at the Blues since 2008, has reportedly attracted interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United of late. The 24-year-old has a contract which is set to expire in 2025.

So far this campaign, Gallagher has started 34 of his 38 appearances for Chelsea. He has found the back of the opposition net four times and recorded seven assists for the west London outfit in the ongoing term.