Chelsea’s Golden Boot Race: Can Palmer’s Absence Open the Door for Newcomers?

Cole Palmer has gone a long way from being deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester City to becoming one of Europe’s best players at Chelsea.

At 23, Palmer is an established Premier League star and, without a doubt, Chelsea’s standout performer and key driving force.

He is one of the few Chelsea signings in the Todd Boehly era to have lived up to expectations, let alone justified their staggering price tags.

Over the past two years, he has become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, earning a reputation for creativity and clutch performances in big matches.

Palmer’s first season in West London was nothing short of remarkable, and he continued in the same vein last term despite a mid-season drop-off.

With 15 goals and nine assists, he was Chelsea’s most prolific player in the Premier League, helping Enzo Maresca lead the club back to the Champions League.

Unfortunately, injuries have hampered the Englishman’s progress at the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign.

A niggling groin issue has restricted Palmer to just 145 minutes across the first seven Premier League games, although he has managed to score once.

New hero

Chelsea needed someone to fill Palmer’s shoes in the early stages of the season, and the solution came from an unlikely source.

Entrusted with the captain’s armband in the absence of Reece James, Enzo Fernandez has become a key figure for Chelsea.

Despite Fernandez’s technical qualities and often energetic performances, goal-scoring prowess has never been a trait associated with the Argentine midfielder.

However, a shortage of reliable playmaking options has forced Maresca to deploy the former Benfica ace in a more advanced role this season.

That’s been a massive hit so far, with Fernandez emerging as Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League with three goals. On top of that, he already has one assist.

According to Spreadex Sports, the 24-year-old could smash a 10-goal barrier this season if he stays on this trajectory, making him a potential dark horse in the club’s golden boot race.

New boys vying for the prize

After an impressive pre-season, Liam Delap headed into his first season at the Bridge with high expectations, only for a hamstring injury to rule him out for two months.

Like the Man City academy graduate, Joao Pedro excelled during Chelsea’s off-season preparations, not to mention his tournament-winning exploits at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

However, the Brazilian forward has endured a slow start in the Premier League, scoring only two goals in seven games, though he added three assists.

With one goal and one assist, Estevao has done reasonably well in the early stages of his career in European football, but he’s still adapting to the new surroundings.

Six could be the magic number for the Brazilian starlet, provided he gets enough minutes and avoids injuries.  

First-team opportunities could prove vital for both 18-year-old Estevao and former Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Garnacho’s potential has never been a subject of debate, yet his tendency for inconsistent performances has become notorious.

As a result, Spreadex doesn’t have huge expectations for the Argentine, projecting him to score up to six goals this term.

Brazilian dynamo

With Palmer unlikely to return to action until November, all eyes will be on Pedro.

Last season was superb for the 24-year-old as he notched ten goals and chipped in with six assists for Brighton & Hove Albion.

Spreadex expects Pedro to reach a similar figure this term and potentially even do better.

Considering his keen eye for goal and penalty-kick prowess, Pedro is a genuine contender for the award, with the analysis projecting him to hit an 11-goal mark this season.

It’s hard to put it past the Brazilian star to surpass expectations and emerge as Chelsea’s leading goal-scorer by the end of the season.