LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has emerged as a Player of the Year contender thanks to a dazzling campaign that left Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to rue what might have been ahead of their reunion in tonight’s FA Cup semi-final.
Palmer is enjoying a breakthrough season following his surprise move from City on transfer deadline day in September.
The 21-year-old scored four times in Chelsea’s 6-0 rout of Everton on Monday, showing why he is nicknamed ‘Cold Palmer’ with an ice-cool penalty after refusing to let team-mate Nicolas Jackson take the kick.
Palmer has netted 23 times in all competitions this term, including 20 in 28 league appearances to make him the joint top-scorer alongside City’s Erling Haaland.
It is unlikely he would have matched those impressive statistics if he had stayed at City, where Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku blocked his path to progress from promising academy graduate to first-team regular.
Palmer has remained polite about the end of his 13-year association with City, but there can be little doubt knocking out the FA Cup holders would carry extra significance for the forward.
“To make the decision to come to Chelsea was a big one for me and my family, but I just wanted to play football. I’m thankful to Chelsea for the opportunity. I’m buzzing,” Palmer said.
