Cole Palmer received metaphorical gold stars when he started training with Pep Guardiola.
During those sessions he always did something that was described as ‘special’. Switch to the left pin and wave the top right corner. Classic Palmer. Players and staff stopped the surprise after a while.
The only surprise is that Palmer isn’t still at Manchester City and doing well. He plans to return soon to thank the academy staff for the years of hard work in his development, as he never got the chance to say goodbye.
In fact, he was briefly paralyzed behind the wheel of his car on what he suspected would be his last day, but with the move from Chelsea not yet 100 percent confirmed.
As it was, he boarded a train to London Euston early the next morning. And that was that. The football continues, with both City and the player considerably richer.
Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring for Chelsea in their 4-1 win over Tottenham on Monday night
The youngster fired his penalty from the post to equalize for the Blues against Spurs
Manchester City’s loss on Palmer certainly resembles Chelsea’s gain following his £40 million transfer
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Chelsea too, it turns out. Even if everyone with knowledge of the 21-year-old’s journey knew he would succeed at Stamford Bridge, the wider watching public has become aware of his talent. He is someone who will undoubtedly play for England if he continues on this path.
A gamble, some said. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is already too big. He won’t play enough minutes, which is exactly why he reluctantly requested a move from City, who he faces for the first time on Sunday.
But Palmer didn’t go in blind; he studied the team, did his research. He saw very few that he thought were streets ahead and reasoned that the numbers in his part of the field were not that exaggerated.
He knew he would influence Chelsea almost immediately. Raheem Sterling thought so too. “It’s a lot harder at City, so when I went to Chelsea I thought I could break into the team,” Palmer said, rather honestly, last month.
There was plenty of time to weigh the option. Chelsea had been in for a while and kept their intentions quiet internally.
Their interest earlier in the summer window was not taken overly seriously, but when they swooped in for the England Under-21 vice-captain, he was ready. “He’s just a little bit special when it comes to his confidence,” said a friend.
What the Premier League has seen in recent weeks is a Palmer free, confident. He played a full season at City Under 18s as a false nine, so he’s happy in central areas and devastating from the right.
Palmer felt he needed to leave City to play more regularly amid stiff competition
He signed off by helping City win the UEFA Super Cup in August after they defeated Sevilla
Palmer scored City’s goal in the Super Cup in Athens before they gained the upper hand in a shoot-out
Over the past six months he has played in five different positions, even as a deep midfielder for the Under 21s at the European Championship.
The problem for him last season was that he spent too much time on the left side, where his lack of raw pace hampered him.
Palmer prefers to run the ball. And his brain is going 100 mph, even though he appears horizontal.
On Monday evening, that bleak night in north London, Palmer was the only Chelsea player who could break Tottenham’s suicide barrier.
His passing weight, timing and ingenuity set him apart. He looked like an intelligent City star in a Chelsea team. What he is.
He learned that. He never relied on his physical attributes, so even as a academy player with obvious skills, he had to become smart.
City held him back in the Under 18s when his peers – most of whom were not as technically gifted – were promoted to the development team. “He had no body,” the source said.
Despite some concerns about the competition for places at Chelsea, Palmer has quickly become a favorite of manager Mauricio Pochettino
His versatility in midfield and in wide attacking areas has meant Palmer has quickly made an impact
Ex-academy director Jason Wilcox gets credit for that action plan. Wilcox had to convince others at the club at the age of 16 that he was worthy of a scholarship.
They signed Ben Knight for big money from Ipswich Town and he was picked ahead of Palmer. Knight was loaned out to Crewe Alexandra last year.
With Palmer, however, there has always been unwavering confidence. He did not accept his fate at City, as many before him have done. Parents Jermaine and Marie expected him to flourish; undoubtedly on their minds.
The biggest challenge was uprooting. He’s never been out of the Northwest for more than a few weeks. He has never done his own laundry. Never cooked.
It’s not an easy move for someone who looks and sounds as Mancunian as they come. He doesn’t have to go to his favorite Lebanese cafe near Stockport, nor does he have to take a job at the local Powerleague with his friends.
Palmer celebrates one of Nicolas Jackson’s goals as Chelsea beat Tottenham earlier this week
Chelsea will head into Sunday’s City clash on a high but know they face their toughest test yet
One of them, Rico Lewis, is enjoying the reunion. “I talk to Cole all the time,” Lewis said this week. ‘I became great friends with him last year. We hadn’t spoken much before that because he was a few years above me.
“Cole is someone I didn’t expect to be good friends with. Now we are, which is very nice.’
He’s growing on you, Palmer, and Chelsea has already discovered that.