Palmer drops truth bomb: 'I had to be persuaded to join Chelsea'

Tom Weber
Tom Weber
  • Updated: 13 Nov 2024 09:37 CST
  • 3 min read
Cole Palmer, Chelsea
© IMAGO

Cole Palmer has once again reiterated that he had no intention of permanently leaving Manchester City in 2023.

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The Chelsea star will surely go down as one of the biggest mistakes in Pep Guardiola's illustrious career. A local boy, a homegrown prospect at Man City, the Spaniard refused to give the youngster regular minutes and eventually sold him on in a decision that looks worse with each passing game.

Palmer has become nothing short of a superstar at Chelsea, notching 32 goals and 20 assists in 58 appearances since his €47 million move in 2023. Earlier this season, he became the first player in Premier League history to score a whopping four goals in the first half of a game.

READ MORE: Exclusive - Guardiola weighs up spending spree with Frimpong and Van den Berg

To say that Palmer has been a resounding success at Chelsea would be an understatement and yet, the 22-year-old has never made a secret of the fact that he wasn't keen to leave his boyhood club.

In an interview with GQ, Palmer has now reiterated that he had to be persuaded to complete a permanent exit last year.

Cole Palmer
© IMAGO - Cole Palmer

Palmer on Man City exit

Explaining his move to Stamford Bridge, Palmer said: "I wasn't even gonna go [to] Chelsea. I got persuaded. I just knew I wasn't going to play as much as I wanted to.

"Even when I was going to England [camps] with younger age groups, you had players there who were playing in the league every week. And you're looking around thinking, I can play in the league. When you're not playing, it's annoying.

I just wanted to go on loan.
- Cole Palmer on his Man City exit in 2022

READ MORE: Chelsea 'open talks' to sign key Man Utd target

"I just wanted to go on loan. I remember training on a Wednesday at City in the afternoon, and the news was 'they're trying to agree a fee'. Every time the ball went out I'd ask the kit man or the doctor if they've agreed the fee yet.

"So I didn't really get a chance to see many people and say I'm going. I just had to get my stuff. I messaged the group chat, said 'Thanks and everything. I'm gone.' That was it."

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