Jamie Carragher has issued a powerful warning to Chelsea – get serious or risk losing Cole Palmer. The former Liverpool defender, writing in his column for The Telegraph, pulled no punches as he dissected the reality facing Chelsea if they fail to match the ambition of their brightest star.

Carragher highlighted a specific moment during Chelsea’s dismal 3-0 defeat to Brighton back in February – a moment that should worry everyone connected with the club. “There was a moment during Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion in February which must have set off alarm bells in the Stamford Bridge boardroom. Palmer’s demeanour was one of frustration,” he noted.

Carragher didn’t stop there. Drawing parallels with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, Carragher painted a concerning picture: “It reminded me of Steven Gerrard during the more difficult periods at Liverpool, where he was looking around the pitch and realising team-mates were not at the required level. Gerrard started to ask himself if he was at the right club, prompting Chelsea to try to sign him in three successive summers between 2003-2005.”

While Gerrard eventually stayed loyal to Liverpool, Carragher explained how dangerously close Chelsea came to signing the Anfield icon: “On two occasions they were very close to doing the deal. How and why? Not because Liverpool were willing sellers. Not because Liverpool were under any financial pressure to offload any of their assets. Not because our captain and best player had a boyhood dream to move to London. And not because the club were unwilling to fight to keep their superstar.

“The reason the transfer nearly happened was because world-class players can only tolerate mediocrity for so long. Careers are short, and those with ambition who feel their talent is unfulfilled cannot stand waiting,” Carragher warned.

The warning couldn’t be clearer: if Chelsea continue to fall short of expectations, they risk losing Palmer, despite his long-term deal. “They are not interested in hearing about ‘long-term’ projects. They make their judgment at the end of every season whether they need to move on.”

And it’s not just Palmer who could start asking questions, according to Carragher. “Only the most naive will believe that the top-class players in Chelsea’s squad will be happy playing Europa League football next year. That makes them vulnerable to unrest,” Carragher concluded.

Palmer, who signed from Manchester City last summer and lit up the first half of the season, has seen his form dip significantly. He hasn’t scored since January 14 and has only registered two assists since then – a worrying drought for a player who had become Chelsea’s shining light.

While his contract runs until 2033, which gives Chelsea a strong position contractually, Carragher’s points that it’s not just about paper security. It’s about ambition, direction, and progress. World-class players want to win – not wait.