"It was a gamble" - Cole Palmer on joining Chelsea and advice he got before leaving Manchester City
It has now been over a year since Chelsea’s Cole Palmer started making waves in the Premier League. The midfielder, who won the Premier League Player of the Month award for September, has opened up about his decision to leave Manchester City, admitting it was a ‘gamble’.
Palmer, born in Manchester, joined the City academy at the under-8 level. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his first-team debut at just 18. However, with City’s significant depth in midfield, opportunities were limited for the youngster, who made only 41 appearances across three seasons and scored only six goals.
In search of more game time, the 22-year-old moved to Chelsea last season for a reported fee of £40 million and has since been a revelation. In his breakthrough season, Palmer scored 25 goals and provided 15 assists, which earned him the PFA Young Player of the Season award.
He has certainly carried that form into the 2024-25 season, already scoring six goals and providing five assists in just seven Premier League games.
Leaving a club he grew up at the time was certainly a bold decision, but one that has paid off. Reflecting on the move, Palmer admitted it he was adviced against it, but believes that moving to Chelsea has changed his career for the better.
“It was a gamble [leaving Man City]... I had people telling me, don’t go here, don’t go there. I decided what I wanted to do. To move club, it changed my life in many different ways," Palmer told ITV Sport (via Absolute Chelsea on X).
Palmer flourished under Mauricio Pochettino and now seems to be the main man at Chelsea, who have started the season strongly and are currently fourth in the table. With his former youth coach at Manchester City, Enzo Maresca, now in charge, his development is expected to improve even further.
Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian reveals conversation with Chelsea star Cole Palmer
Chelsea certainly have an abundance of talent in attacking areas, with another addition set to arrive in January. Brazilian sensation Estevao Willian, who was signed last year for a reported initial fee of €34 million, will further strengthen the Blues’ squad.
Estevao has had an impressive season in Brazil with Palmeiras, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists. He also recently made his debut for Brazil and is regarded as a top talent in the country.
The 17-year-old revealed that he has already spoken with Cole Palmer, who told him they are going to achieve ‘great things’ at Chelsea from next year.
"When I signed for Chelsea, the next day I scored a goal and celebrated like Palmer. His celebration was trend, very popular. We talked on social media, I tagged him on Instagram, he called me a star, I said he’s a star too. He said we’re going to do a lot of great things together for Chelsea," he said (via The Guardian).
Chelsea are indeed building a highly talented squad, but for now, their focus will be on the upcoming games. After the international break, the Blues face two challenging Premier League fixtures - first against Liverpool at Anfield, followed by a clash with Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.