Pochettino reveals which Chelsea signing has left him awestruck
Tom Weber
- Updated: 9 Oct 2023 21:24 BST
- 4 min read
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that summer signing Cole Palmer has 'surprised' him after yet another inspired performance.
Some questioned the Blues' decision to spend €47 million on the 21-year-old Manchester City midfielder. Palmer has always been considered a big talent - and Pep Guardiola even admitted that it would be hard to keep hold of him as long as he couldn't give him regular minutes - but it felt almost like something of an expensive panic buy after Chelsea had missed out on Michael Olise.
Six games into his Blues career, however, it is already looking like money well spent. Palmer has been in exceptional form since making the switch, with some Chelsea fans calling him the player they thought Kai Havertz would be when they splashed €80m on the German.
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Versatile and creative, Palmer has quickly become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, and he was allowed to reward himself with a goal when he took Chelsea's penalty to make it 2-1 against Burnley at the weekend. The 21-year-old also set up Nicolas Jackson for his side's fourth and final goal on the day and he was showered with praise by Pochettino after the game.
What did Pochettino say?
"He is a very talented player and he has the quality and understanding," the Argentine waxed lyrical after the 4-1 win over the promoted outfit. "He surprised me when I arrived because it was the day before the transfer window closed."
"The way he reads the situations and the games, what the team needs in every situation, he can be the player who can link with his team-mates. He is still very young but with great personality and great talent, and he has the talent and the quality, which we saw."
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Despite having been a treble winner and two-time Premier League champion at Man City, the Turf Moor penalty was actually the 21-year-old's first goal in the English top flight. If he keeps up his current, there will be plenty more where that came from.
