New Chelsea Superstar: He Was Playing for City Earlier This Season. Why Did MC Let Cole Palmer Go?

Attacking midfielder Cole Palmer is the new superstar of Chelsea and British football overall. In this Premier League campaign, the 21-year-old Englishman has played 25 matches, scoring 16 goals and providing 8 assists—an incredible tally that brightens Chelsea's otherwise gloomy season.

On April 4th, Chelsea defeated Manchester United in a dramatic 31st-round match at Stamford Bridge. The hero of the game was Palmer, who scored a hat trick. Until the 100th minute, Erik ten Hag's team led the score, after which Palmer scored a brace in a very short period. The result was an incredible 4-3 win in favor of Mauricio Pochettino's team.

Palmer, a native of Manchester and a product of Manchester City's academy, trained with the City's club from an early age. He first made the matchday squad for a Premier League match in June 2020, sitting on the bench for 90 minutes in an away match against Chelsea (1-2).

At the end of last season, when Manchester City had virtually secured the championship, Pep Guardiola entrusted Palmer with more playing time. Cole played a full match against Chelsea (1-0) and Brentford (0-1). Argentine Julian Alvarez scored the winning goal against Chelsea after a pass from Palmer. Thus, Palmer's only goal contribution for Manchester City in the Premier League was in the match against Chelsea.

In the current season, Cole played for Man City for 10 minutes in the first-round match against Burnley, after which — right at the transfer window deadline — he moved to Chelsea. Roman Abramovich's former club paid €47 million for the talented footballer.

In March, speaking to Sky Sports journalists, Palmer explained his decision to leave Guardiola's team: "I felt ready to start every game. That's why I left for Chelsea. I just wanted to showcase my abilities, and fortunately, I did. Leaving Manchester City was a callous decision; I'd been at the club since I was six. I was ready to play football, so I talked to my family, talked to the club, and moved to Chelsea."

Guardiola took direct responsibility for losing Palmer: "After two or three seasons, he wanted more playing time. I understand that perfectly. If Palmer had received as many minutes as I initially gave to Phil Foden, Cole Palmer would have played for Manchester City. But I didn't give him those minutes. That's my responsibility. Why did I do that? Because of Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, because of Foden. At that moment, I chose other players.

We knew Palmer possessed certain qualities. His impact on the game, which he demonstrated this season, is enormous. Cole is not just about goals and assists; he is class. He represents an incredible threat in Chelsea's lineup. In the future, we will remember (his departure). It may seem easy (that Palmer left), but it's not."

Published by Patrick Jane
06.04.2024