Thinking a few steps ahead, it seems, is something that is second nature to Cole Palmer both on and off the pitch.
Brighton certainly couldn’t keep up with the Chelsea star on Saturday as he became the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League game in the Blues’ 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
Last month, Wolves didn’t find it any easier as Palmer registered a goal and three assists to lead Chelsea to a 6-2 victory to kickstart Enzo Maresca‘s tenure.
It has been some 12 months for Palmer after leaving behind his home comforts in Manchester to start a new life in London.
And back in January, Mail Sport sat down with one of the country’s hottest talents to discuss his meteoric rise.
Cole Palmer created Premier League history by scoring four goals in the first half vs Brighton
He has become Chelsea’s talisman, and also registered four goal contributions against Wolves last month
Palmer sat down with Mail Sport for an exclusive interview in January to discuss his flying start
As he takes his seat on the sofa in one of the rooms in the cottage near the entrance to Chelsea’s Surrey training ground, Palmer checks first to see if this is an interview being recorded on camera, information that would allow him to adjust his approach if he felt necessary.
When his pictures are being taken at the end by our Mail Sport photographer, Palmer shows an interest not often seen by players, querying whether one has to be taken so closely, reviewing and giving others his approval, mindful of the final product.
He is equally aware of what is coming next when the topic of his £42.5m move from Manchester City to Chelsea is discussed. As Palmer’s season has unfolded and the goals have flowed and he’s developed into Chelsea’s talisman and an England international, the question has been asked with increasing regularity: Did Pep Guardiola blunder by allowing Palmer, an academy product who joined the club as an Under-eight, to leave City?
Guardiola does not get many calls of this kind wrong, is the common refrain. But it was definitely an eyebrow-raiser of a decision. So was he surprised to be let go? ‘Yeah,’ Palmer admits after a brief pause for thought as he weighs up his answer and the implications.
The hottest talent in English football has had a breathtaking start to life at Chelsea
The England international shed light on his exit from boyhood club Manchester City
‘Initially I didn’t want to leave,’ he explains. ‘I said I would go on loan and play for a year so I was ready for first team football more because I didn’t play a lot of minutes [last season]. But then Pep said “you’re either staying or you’re getting sold” and, so yeah, I just got sold.
‘I was a bit confused why they wouldn’t let me go on loan but [then] I said I wanted to go to Chelsea and I’m glad it’s turned out the way it has.’
Some other developments have also surprised Palmer, 21, during this standout campaign so far.
Like the instant impact he has made at Chelsea, hearing Sir Elton John offer an opinion on his transfer and breaking into the England squad as soon as he has. But when you are one of the league’s most exciting young players certain things come so naturally they are just all in a day’s work. Such as moments of genius that result in Goal of the Month contenders.
Palmer recently scored his, a wonderful solo effort at Luton but with its roots on the parks and five-a-side pitches in Manchester like Wythenshawe’s Hollyhedge Park, 20 seconds away from his childhood home and where he first began kicking a ball about.
The composure, speed of thought and execution Palmer showed to roll and bounce the ball with his studs over the legs of the outrushing goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski before leaving Luton defenders strewn in their penalty area as he calmly scored wowed watchers.
But Palmer recounts the goal in the matter-of-fact way only a gifted footballer can. ‘When I got played through I thought the ball was too heavy,’ he begins. ‘I thought I was too close to the keeper to kick it round him so I just thought I’m doing the ball roll and I did it. It’s just instinct.
‘Did I mean the first touch? Yeah! If I just did a ball roll [along the ground] he [the keeper] would have got it. It’s like me trying to go past you now. If I just did it on the floor it’s going to hit your foot so if I chip if over your leg you can’t do anything. I’ve done it before, sometimes, but not as fast and chaotic as that at Luton.
Palmer was told by Pep Guardiola that leaving City on loan was not an option
‘I don’t know [how you would teach someone that]. It’s just a roll. I can’t really remember. I don’t even really think about it. I think you have to learn it from young. The way you play and stuff. Parks and five-a-side pitches.’
Palmer’s effort had shades of Mesut Ozil’s Champions League winner for Arsenal against Ludogorets or the unique, goal-making first touch had hallmarks of Dennis Bergkamp, who pundit Paul Merson likened Palmer to earlier in the season.
His manager Mauricio Pochettino sees elements of Angel Di Maria in Palmer. ‘It’s high praise, those players who are mentioned,’ Palmer says. ‘Obviously world class players. Hopefully I can get to near their level and it will be a good career.’
A boyhood Manchester United fan, his idol growing up was Wayne Rooney and the former England captain will no doubt appreciate Palmer’s desire to take responsibility and inspire despite his tender age.
Palmer was Chelsea’s last summer signing but quickly became one of their first picks, significantly helping increase the threat of Pochettino’s team wherever he pops up. He might start in one position but roams around the pitch looking to find other areas from where he can influence a game.
‘I just like to always have the ball, try and make things happen,’ he says. ‘When the team is struggling a bit I just liked people to turn to me to try and do something. That pushes me and the manager says “be free, express your abilities. Do what you do.” From young, I feel like I’ve scored important goals, even throughout the academies. I’ve always liked that.’
Palmer revealed the only team he wanted to join was Chelsea and it couldn’t have gone better
He has scored eight goals and added seven assists, which includes this goal against Luton
At Chelsea, Palmer has been given a platform and is thriving in a role that was not available to him at City. ‘Everyone quite clearly can see the two clubs are in different stages,’ he says, explaining his thinking when, to some, it may appear that he had simply moved from one jam-packed squad at City to another at Chelsea.
‘One is a project and one has established players. Our project is a young project. There are a lot of young players and I thought I would fit the project well. I didn’t know what the personalities were like before I came so they could have many people that liked it [having responsibility] but I would have thought I’ve definitely got more responsibility than I got at Man City.’
That has put Palmer firmly in the spotlight, a position at odds with his personality. ‘Off the pitch I wouldn’t want everyone watching me and talking to me,’ he says. ‘I’m just quiet. Keep myself to myself. But when I go on the pitch, change. The switch just flicks. I don’t know why. I like it on the pitch, a different pressure.’
That makes him a natural penalty taker, a position he has assumed at Chelsea ahead of far more experienced and longer-serving teammates. He describes such high-stake situations in the same fuss-free way he recalls scoring at Luton.
‘I’m quite calm and relaxed. If you asked some of the lads they’ll say that. I literally just put the ball down and kick it in. Literally,’ he smiles.
But some of his spot-kicks have come with added pressure. Against Arsenal, Palmer won a battle for the ball with his good friend Raheem Sterling first before scoring.
‘He let me take it at Burnley which was nice of him then the one at Arsenal came the game after and I wanted to take it but he wanted to take it,’ Palmer says. ‘I didn’t really want to disrespect him because he is a lot older than me, done near enough everything in the game and I’ve not done anything and he’s helped me from when I was young. But then I ended up taking it because he didn’t want to argue and create a scene over it. So respect to Raz. It just one of those things.’
A few weeks later all eyes were on Palmer again when Chelsea won an injury-time penalty to make it 4-4 against City including those of friends and family members who support his old club. ‘Most of them were happy for me to be fair because it was such a big moment,’ he says, ‘and if I missed I think everyone would have known the hate, the backlash I’d have got but I didn’t think about any of that. Just thought about scoring when I put the ball down.’
Palmer had to be restrained in the aftermath, celebrating with just a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders while bedlam broke out around the Bridge. His long-standing association and respect for City dictated that. But he feels a strong bond is now being formed between him and Chelsea too.
‘I feel like we are building a relationship so fast because of the amount of minutes they’ve given me, what I’ve done, scoring so many goals and assists,’ he says. ‘The fans have taken to me well and I just like coming to training every day and going to Stamford Bridge.’
Palmer netted a last-gasp equaliser against Man City and exuded calmness in his celebration
The attacking midfielder said he is relaxed and laid back off the pitch but very different on it
It is eight goals and seven assists in just 21 appearances for Palmer already at Chelsea and, but for a rare off night at Middlesbrough in midweek, those figures would have been even higher. He has played more minutes of first-team football than he received at City too.
‘I know my abilities and stuff but for it to go like this has surprised me,’ he says. ‘Obviously things can change so fast but hopefully this continues.’
But the adjustment to life away from Manchester for the first time has not been as straightforward as it might appear. ‘It’s been difficult off the pitch,’ he admits. ‘I don’t think everyone sees that. They think everything is fine because he is doing this on the pitch now but moving away from your family, out of Manchester where you’ve been your whole life is difficult.
‘It’s little things like when I’m going home from training and not seeing my parents. If something has happened at football I can’t go and talk to my dad. See what he thinks. Obviously I can ring him but it’s not the same. Things like that, seeing friends and family. There’s been more phone contact [since joining Chelsea]. I thought coming here would do me good as well to grow up a bit though, living away from my parents. In a short period of time I think it’s helped me.’
It was via his family that Palmer discovered music icon Sir Elton had name-dropped him unprompted in a TV interview with Gary Lineker, hailing his move and the benefits of him gaining more playing time as a result.
‘My mum sent me it first saying “oh my God, look at this”. It went in the family group chat and they were buzzing because they’re a lot older than me. I watched it and it was mad. Of course I know who he is but didn’t really listen to his songs. He’s a bit older than me.
Palmer’s form has seen him break into England’s squad ahead of next summer’s Euro 2024
The 21-year-old was also full of praise for Mauricio Pochettino, who he labelled ‘a top manager’
‘He is right. I felt like the ability I had, I was ready for a while to start playing games but you know the squad depth there at City and how difficult it is and I didn’t really get much of an opportunity. I feel like that anyway. When Chelsea said they’ll give me the opportunity and platform I thought that’s what I needed.
‘It’s one of the biggest clubs in the country so to give me the opportunity to do it for this club I thought I could do that and I’m proving that I can do that.’
With his track record of developing players into England internationals, working with Mauricio Pochettino was also part of the appeal of joining Chelsea. Palmer cites Dele Alli as one example.
The feedback he received about Pochettino from others he spoke also confirmed to Palmer that ‘he is a top manager.’ He adds: ‘Now I’ve come I can see why they say it.’
This season has seen Palmer join the lengthy list of players to earn senior Three Lions recognition under Pochettino, a potentially well-timed breakthrough ahead of Euro 2024 this summer.
‘I just came to Chelsea to play football, that’s all I wanted to do,’ Palmer says. ‘Then to play, play like this and get an England call up it was just mad. Maybe [the Euros is on my mind]. A little bit, yeah, not too much. I’m just trying to take it game by game because you know the quality that’s in the squad so I’m not really thinking too much about it.’
Keep performing as he has done for Chelsea, though, and a spot in Gareth Southgate’s 23-man party for Palmer will not come as a surprise.
