Chelsea star Cole Palmer has shared insights into his transition from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge and his disappointment over limited playing time with England at Euro 2024.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer has shared insights into his transition from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge and his disappointment over limited playing time with England at Euro 2024. Palmer, 22, was signed by Chelsea for £42.5 million last year. Since joining, he's been a standout for the Blues, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists in his debut Premier League season.
This year, in a central role under Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, he has already netted seven goals and made five assists in just 11 league games, including an impressive four-goal performance against Brighton.
In an interview with GQ, Palmer revealed he initially needed convincing to leave Manchester City for Chelsea. "I wasn’t even gonna go [to] Chelsea," Palmer admitted, indicating it was his agent who ultimately persuaded him to make the move. "I remember training on a Wednesday at City in the afternoon, and the news was ‘they’re trying to agree a fee," he added.
Palmer also shared the tense moments he experienced as he waited for the finalization of the transfer deal. Recalling a training session at City, he said, "Every time the ball went out, I’d ask the kit man or the doctor if they’ve agreed the fee yet.”
Despite his breakthrough season at Chelsea, Palmer faced frustration with limited involvement in England’s Euro 2024 campaign. Although the Three Lions reached the final, Palmer was rarely on the starting lineup under manager Gareth Southgate, receiving just 20 minutes off the bench against Slovenia after England’s challenging draw with Denmark.
“It was frustrating at England, to be fair,” he said. “Not to say that the players aren’t good. But just coming off the back of the season I had, the form I was in, everything I was doing was coming off… so I’m not playing in the first two games even when the team was struggling, it was a bit like, ‘Why?’ Do you know what I mean?”
Palmer’s frustrations were somewhat alleviated in the final against Spain, where he came off the bench to score a crucial equalizer. Remarkably, he had predicted this moment of glory the night before, visualizing the goal and celebrating in his hotel room. "I had a feeling I was going to score,” he revealed. "Even in the hotel the night before the game, I was just looking at the mirror, just thinking, What am I gonna do if I score? Am I gonna do my celebration? Am I just going to go mad?"
As Palmer’s profile grows at Chelsea, his ambition and performances suggest he may play a larger role in future international tournaments, proving his worth on both the club and national stages.
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