Chelsea’s decision to spend £42.5 million on the signing of former Manchester City ace Cole Palmer in the summer was viewed as another unconventional move under the new ownership.
Despite showing great promise in all youth categories at the Etihad Stadium, the versatile forward was denied the opportunity to prove his worth at the senior level, leading him to bid farewell to his hometown club.
Pep Guardiola’s surprising decision to let go of the talented youngster, just under two months after his significant role in England’s 2022 European U21 Championship victory, raised eyebrows.
It remains unclear whether Palmer didn’t meet the manager’s criteria or if the Spanish manager sought a different forward style.
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It was hard to digest, especially considering the manager’s decision to promote English winger Phil Foden to the senior squad at 18. He put trust in his potential and actively supported his development at the club in comparison to other youngsters.
However, Palmer made a huge impact just two months after joining Stamford Bridge this summer.
The midfielder, now playing for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, ironically secured a crucial point against his former side by scoring from a late penalty. Before the match, the youngster had impressive statistics, outshining Foden in various aspects of the game, despite having more playing time.
Palmer has excelled in various statistical categories, surpassing Foden in key passes (84 to 51.8), progressive runs (72.3 to 45), and attacking moves (71.7 to 51.8). Stats expert Squawka has provided the player’s detailed match stats from the game against the Citizens.
Cole Palmer's game by numbers vs. Man City:
51 touches
7 final third entries
4 touches in opp. box
4 penalty area entries
4 x possession won
3 shots
2 shots on target
1 goalIce-cool Cole. 🥶#MCICHE pic.twitter.com/eqoZrkqynF
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 12, 2023
This success highlights the transformative impact of manager trust and a supportive environment on the English star’s development into a pivotal force for the Blues.
Contrasting with his previous season as a benchwarmer at Man City, Palmer has become a standout performer in the Premier League, exceeding his playing time from the entire 2022-23 campaign.
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The midfielder has scored six goals and provided four assists in 14 appearances. Considering this it is quite clear that the midfielder has repaid his new manager’s faith by establishing himself as the West Londoners’s vital contributor in the attacking third.
Notably, his calmness and composure in converting a late penalty against Man City showed his maturity and effectiveness, particularly for a young player.
Struggling under inconsistent squad rotations at the Etihad Stadium, the attacker found an open learning environment under Pochettino.
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Palmer’s impressive performance earned him his first-ever international call-up from England manager Gareth Southgate, acknowledging the young player’s rise to stardom.
