- City youngster moves to Chelsea in deadline day swoop
- Under 21 star excited by challenge
- Pochettino to bed Palmer in gradually
Chelsea have signed England Under-21 forward Cole Palmer from Manchester City for a substantial transfer fee of £40 million, with an additional £2.5 million in potential add-ons included in the deal. Palmer, who is 21 years old, has committed to a seven-year contract with the option for an additional year.
Palmer a good fit for Chelsea’s project: Pochettino
Palmer was part of the England Under-21 team that emerged victorious in the European Under-21 Championship earlier in the summer and is a product of Manchester City’s youth academy. In joining Chelsea, he expressed excitement about the project and platform the club offers to showcase his talents. He noted that Chelsea has a young and ambitious squad, and he hopes they can achieve something special together.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino commented on Palmer’s signing, describing him as a young and talented player who fits into the club’s project. Pochettino acknowledged that Palmer may need time to settle into the team, given the move from Manchester to London and the differences between the two clubs. He emphasised that there would be no immediate pressure on Palmer to perform, allowing him to find his place in the team gradually.
Despite earlier interest from West Ham, Palmer’s move to Chelsea is a permanent transfer, and he will not be loaned out. Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, praised Palmer’s experience of winning the Premier League and Champions League and his ability to contribute to Chelsea’s attacking options. They believe he is ready for this next step in his career and are delighted to have him at the club.
Betting Implications
Palmer has performed well for City in the early part of the season after an excellent tournament for England Under 21’s in the summer. He will strengthen Chelsea as they look to put last season behind them, though Pochettino has stressed he will be introduced gradually. However, he is one of many new signings and bettors need to evaluate whether they manage to gel as a team, which proved to be a problem last season. It would be a good idea to monitor the next few games before betting on Chelsea for outrights or on a match to match basis.
City are currently the early favourites to win each of the competitions they are entered for after last season’s success and their positive start this time round. However, it remains to be seen whether letting Palmer go reduces their strength in depth. They are currently missing Kevin De Bruyne with injury and bettors need to watch how they perform to see if they are able to hit the same levels as last season despite his absence.
