Cole Palmer has opened up on his decision to leave Manchester City this summer and why the 21-year-old decided to make the switch to Chelsea.
Things tend to move quickly on deadline day and Chelsea wasted no time in getting this deal for the youngster over the line. After failing to land Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, Palmer was their next target.
Cole Palmer of Chelsea looks on during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest
The move did come as a surprise to many as Palmer had started to make an impact at the Etihad. Palmer had an eye-catching start to the new campaign with Man City as he scored in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup final.
However, his first team opportunities in the Premier League were still limited. Despite the departure of Riyad Mahrez, Palmer was still firmly behind Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden in the pecking order.
As the 21-year-old had only played 10 minutes of league football in the opening month of the season, he will have been forced to consider his options.
Chelsea have gone heavy into recruiting upcoming stars from around the globe and Palmer fits into this recruitment strategy to a tee.
Mauricio Pochettino also has an excellent track record when it comes to developing youngsters and Palmer has admitted he is excited by the Chelsea project.
Palmer reveals key reason for exit
Earlier this month TEAMtalk revealed that Palmer was seeking more opportunities under Pep Guardiola and this was ultimately one of the reasons he decided to leave.
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Palmer himself has now given an interview where he backs up these claims as he explains that he is looking for more opportunities to play in his natural position.
“I’m not saying I shied away from the competition [for places at City] because I’ve never done that. I’d been there [around the first-team] for a few years and wanted more of an opportunity to play – in my position – and to have more of an impact,” he explained via 90min.
Have Chelsea fallen into the same transfer trap this summer?0 seconds of 1 minute, 12 secondsVolume 90%
“It was a huge decision. When I left the training ground on the Thursday I knew I was going to London the next day. It all just hit me, sat in the car and going to drive out. I was just thinking, ‘You’ve been here 15 years’.
“I don’t know any different. I’ve never been on loan. I’ve never moved out of Manchester. The only time I’ve ever been outside of Manchester is on holiday or away games. Going [to Chelsea] does feel weird, but there is no time to waste. I’ve got to get to it.”
Palmer made his debut for Chelsea with a cameo appearance from the bench against Nottingham Forest. There’s plenty of competition for places at Chelsea, but Palmer will no doubt back himself to become an important player.
Source: teamtalk.com
