Cole Palmer chose to join Chelsea on deadline day for a reported £42.5 million, leaving City after scoring goals in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup finals.
In a prelude to the thrilling 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola disclosed that the English player opted to leave his team, favoring a move to Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues.
“Cole arrived and accepted some processes and then after one or two years said ‘No, I don’t want to play here, I am not going to play.’ But I said ‘Riyad [Mahrez] is leaving, you are going to get a chance here,’ and he said ‘No, I am not going to play here, I want to leave,’ so I said ‘OK, leave,’” Guardiola explained. “He got what he wanted. It is good for him. He is a young player, a huge talent otherwise he would not have been here. He is a nice lad and is doing really good.”
The 21-year-old hadn’t yet become a regular starter for City when he, according to Guardiola, decided he wasn’t going to get much game time so made the move to Chelsea.
He was all potential, an immensely talented prospect who clearly had the style and technical ability to fit in a few different positions. Guardiola wanted him to stay, presumably because he knew just how good he was.
Palmer’s departure from Manchester City went beyond a mere demonstration of his belief in his ability to excel elsewhere; it served as a commitment to proving to Pep Guardiola that he was prepared for regular appearances in the Premier League.
Hardly does Pep Guardiola regret selling a player but with Cole Palmer, it may not be the case albeit the fact that he had found a similarly dangerous winger in Jeremy Doku to replace him.
Guardiola was aware of Palmer’s potential before the 4-4 draw on Sunday, but he may not have foreseen the significant impact the young player would have on Chelsea’s setup.
It wasn’t just Palmer’s exceptionally executed penalty; it was also his role in orchestrating Chelsea’s attack, connecting plays and creating openings.
This performance leads one to contemplate that, despite Chelsea’s extensive expenditure in the transfer market; it could be the relatively overlooked acquisition of a young talent on deadline day that forms the foundation around which they build their team.
Cole Palmer has high standards
On Monday night, after Chelsea’s sizzling 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in their own backyard something interesting happened off the pitch during the post-game press briefing.
Nicolas Jackson had the match ball in one hand and the Player of Match award in the other but it was Cole Palmer who showed greater maturity when speaking to the reporter in the tunnel.
“Obviously it’s been a difficult start for him, no hiding it, but he was brilliant tonight,” Palmer told Sky Sports when invited to talk about Jackson. “He just needs to work harder on the training pitch, keep his head down and I think he’ll get many more hat-tricks.”
That was a 21-year-old speaking as though he had been playing in the English Premier League for more than a decade was a huge sticking point.
The interview served as a reminder of the high standards, instilled by the relentless intensity of Pep Guardiola during his years with Manchester City’s first team. A level of relentlessness that is bearing good fruits in a Chelsea side that needs an uplifting.
It was also a show of just how confident, he, Cole Palmer is. A confidence that pushed him to leave his safe-space to join a club that had not settled yet (probably still has not).
His glaring confidence has worked to his benefit, scoring all four high-pressure penalties in his 595 minutes in the Premier League this season.
You can tell from his scheming and risk-taking passes that there is more to come and Chelsea would definitely benefit from this in future games.
Cole Palmer, the new Chelsea penalty taker
Mauricio Pochettino had never officially made Palmer his preferred taker after he joined the club on transfer deadline day.
That is why there was a conversation that took place with Raheem Sterling when Chelsea was awarded a spot kick against Arsenal last month.
In fact, up until a point in the season, Pochettino had simply made it clear to his players that he wants the person with the most belief on the pitch to assume responsibility and take the spot-kick should they get any during a football game.
Palmer has demonstrated nerves of steel when it matters most, converting the penalties against Burnley at Turf Moor in Chelsea’s 4-1 win, then against Arsenal, Tottenham and now Manchester City on the 94th-minute.
All this underlines just how quickly the former City man has earned the trust of his team-mates in big moments.
Cole Palmer has that creative spark
If we are being honest, Cole Palmer looks like the player Chelsea thought they were getting when they signed Kai Havertz three years ago.
The player with trickery, an eye for goal, can score a penalty, take on defenders, and create space for his teammates to profit off.
“We are happy with the way he has arrived,” Pochettino said of a player who helped England win the Under-21 European Championship this summer, after the 2-0 loss to Brentford almost two weeks ago. “He arrived on the last day of the transfer window but is playing like he’s been here 10 years, showing his character and personality.
After those remarks, the team has gone unbeaten in the three games, with Palmer assisting twice and scoring two as well.
So much of Chelsea’s play revolves around the younger player now. There is just such substance to his play and he delivering the goods.
He has completed 287 passes out of the 354 attempted which is an 81% pass completion rate. Palmer also has 1525 progressive passing distance.
Furthermore, he has a shot-creation action of 29 and 4.39 per 90. What this basically means is that in 90 minutes, he will create four chances that can lead to shots for Chelsea.
The England international also has 429 touches, eight successful take-ons and 291 carries of the ball.
While Palmer expresses gratitude for his upbringing at Manchester City, Chelsea benefits from his skills, and he seems to be a cornerstone of their progress.
As Christopher Nkunku returns to action, the synergy between dynamic players like Palmer and Nkunku could elevate Chelsea’s status further.
In essence, Cole Palmer’s presence is proving pivotal for Chelsea’s ongoing development, contributing significantly to the team’s recent successes.
However, Chelsea and Manchester City are different. While one seems settled and well established, the other one is still a work under progress.
A progress Cole Palmer seems to be a bedrock of.
