Chelsea star Palmer 'set for lucrative pay rise on current £80k-a-week deal'

Chelsea star Cole Palmer will reportedly be rewarded with a lucrative improved contract after an excellent debut season at Stamford Bridge.

England international Palmer, 21, has impressed since signing from Manchester City for an initial £40million in September last year.

Although Palmer signed a seven-year contract with the option of a further 12 months, The Daily Telegraph report he will be offered a significant increase on his current £80,000-a-week salary.

They say that while no talks over the improved deal have started - or are imminent - there is already an acknowledgement within Stamford Bridge that Palmer deserves better terms.

His first 35 games for Chelsea have yielded 16 goals and 12 assists across all competitions, with Palmer rewarded with a senior England debut back in November.

Palmer's consistently good performances, playing in a number of roles on the right wing or attacking midfield, have proved a rare bright point in an underwhelming season for Chelsea.

Despite his importance to Mauricio Pochettino's team, it is believed Palmer receives only a quarter of the salary earned by the club's highest-earner Raheem Sterling, who has been booed by fans this season.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea's game with Manchester United on Thursday night, Pochettino said of Palmer: 'He's doing well. But he signed a five, six, seven-year contract, I don't know…

'Then if the club believes we need to compensate or to reward him again, then the club is going to do that.'

Palmer scored twice as Chelsea were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw at home by Burnley on Saturday.

He has proved a rare success story amid the £1billion-plus outlay on new signings since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital duo Behdad Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano bought the