Cole Palmer joined Chelsea at the start of the 2023-34 season. In the time that he’s been with the club, he’s made a huge impact. With 29 goals in his 44 appearances for the club, his expensive transfer fee seems justified. This season, he’s been showing his quality despite some minor injuries. He won the Goal of the Month in August and Player of the Month for September.
Chelsea has been having a great season and punters have been having a field day with the bookmakers. Football has long been the UK’s favourite betting sport and EPL seasons like this one make it easy to understand why. Even though Liverpool is way out in front, the competition is so fierce that anything could happen.
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No matter where you place your bets — or if you’re betting at all — this Chelsea season is a fun one to watch. Palmer has been a major contributor to the club’s success this season
Pre-Chelsea career
Cole Palmer spent his entire youth career at the Manchester City Academy. From 2010-20, he honed his skills and impressed his coaches with his talent. His slender frame concerned some, but these concerns were put to rest as he grew up. He ended up captaining the U18 team in his final year with the Academy team.
Manchester City brought him up to the first team in September 2020. He made repeated appearances in the EFL Cup, the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FA Community Shield. He only made a few appearances for the club in regular EPL matches. It seemed a bit like City weren’t quite sure how to fit Palmer into their regular first team lineup.
Despite being the club that developed his skills from childhood, Manchester City didn’t seem to have a plan for using Palmer. This is slightly surprising and does show a bit of shortsightedness.
Chelsea
Chelsea signed Cole Palmer for a reported £40m in September 2023. The young midfielder only took a month to find his metaphorical footing with the new club. He scored his first goal on a penalty kick in their match against Burnley. His final performance of the year against Luton Town included two goals and an assist. He finished up 2023 by being nominated for Player of the Month and Goal of the Month.
2024 started just as strong. In April, he scored his first hattrick in an exciting comeback win against Manchester United. This performance was one of the main reasons that he was awarded the Game Changer of the Season award. Later in April, he scored a second hattrick in Chelsea’s crushing defeat of Everton.
At the end of his first season, Palmer was voted Chelsea’s Players’ Player of the Season and Player of the Season. He also won the Premier League Young Player of the Season.
Fans always have some fears that a brilliant young player will crack under the pressure and a glorious first season will be followed by failed dreams and crushed hopes. If the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season are a sign of how Palmer will continue, fans have nothing to worry about.
Palmer became the first player in the EPL to score four goals in a single match during Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Brighton. He has also been awarded Player of the Month for September. Since he started playing with Chelsea, Palmer has made himself a central figure on the team and a favourite among fans.
Style of play
Cole Palmer doesn’t play like a youth fresh out of the Academy. He has been praised by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca for his temperament and his humility. It’s impressive to find a young player who has become a star player and is still able to stay down to earth. His attitude is probably a big part of why he has been able to fit into the squad so well.
As a midfielder, Palmer is a notable playmaker. He is an intelligent player who has a calm and collected approach to play. He is becoming known for his ability to handle the mental strain of penalties. His playing style also includes long-range shots that have a dynamic effect on any match. He has been described by Lee Johnson as having the physical style of a matador — playing with grace and balance.
Concerns
The only real concern that has been raised about Cole Palmer so far is his slender frame. Football isn’t as physical a sport as rugby, but it still requires players to throw their weight around. Palmer’s current injury suggests that he will have to be careful with how rough he plays. However, he is still only 22 and will likely gain more muscle mass in the next few years.
Final thoughts
When Chelsea re-signed Palmer at the start of this season, they extended his contract to nine years. While he may be tempted to play elsewhere, this could be the start of a long and fruitful relationship for both him and the club. We can’t wait to see what magic he brings to the pitch in the new year.
