"He looks a bit like Maddison for Tottenham" – Cesc Fabregas delivers verdict on Chelsea star after 4-3 win
Ex-Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas has asserted that Cole Palmer is his former club's best performer of the ongoing campaign, comparing him to Tottenham Hotspur ace James Maddison.
Earlier this Thursday (April 4), Palmer bagged his first-ever professional hat-trick in a 4-3 Premier League home win over Manchester United. He also impressed after creating eight chances at Stamford Bridge.
Following Chelsea's thrilling triumph over Erik ten Hag's side, Fabregas shared his two cents on the Manchester City academy graduate. He said on his BBC podcast (h/t Daily Express):
"It's all about his personality. I have to say that I was a little bit surprised by the move. I remember I was doing the Champions League final in the summer and he was just warming up there and being one of these young players coming up and enjoying the experience, not being looked at to even feature in the game."
Fabregas, who represented the Blues 198 times as a player, added:
"Then all of a sudden, [he gets] a big move to Chelsea, [and] starts performing at the very, very high level with a lot of quality and personality. He wants the ball and he makes things happen. [He has the] final pass and [also] scores goals. He looks a bit like Maddison for Tottenham. He's that type of player that makes the team tick."
Hailing the £45 million summer signing, the ex-Barcelona star opined:
"He has this pause in him. Sometimes in modern football, everything accelerates too fast. Players don't understand the moment of when to pass or move. He has this little pause and composure in him that gives his striker the time to make their runs. I love him. I have been very, very impressed and I didn't expect this type of impact. He's been the Player of the Year for Chelsea."
Palmer, whose contract is set to expire in June 2026, has contributed 19 goals and 12 assists in 36 games across competitions this season.
Agent says Chelsea target could join PSG
Speaking on Radio Goal's Kiss Kiss Napoli, Italian agent Dario Canovi insisted that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen could end up joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer. He said (h/t PSG Talk):
"In my opinion, it is likely that he plays for PSG. It would be the most successful purchase after [Kylian] Mbappe's farewell."
Osimhen, who has been on Chelsea and PSG's radar since past year, is allegedly likely to leave Napoli this summer. The 25-year-old is said to have an exit clause in his current deal in the region of £113 million.
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Osimhen has scored 44 goals and provided nine assists in 64 total appearances for the Partenopei.