Awards galore for Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
Image credit: ESPN UK
Cole Palmer has garnered significant praise from Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, who believe he has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or in the future.
The 22-year-old forward, who transferred to Chelsea from Manchester City for £42 million, has made a remarkable impact since his arrival, scoring 25 goals in his first season with the club.
Palmer’s impressive performances continued as he scored for England in the Euro 2024 final and has netted six goals already this season under new head coach Enzo Maresca. His outstanding contributions have earned him a spot on this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist and the title of England’s men’s player of the year for 2024.
Winstanley expressed confidence in Palmer’s abilities, stating, “No doubt he can, no doubt. He’s got a bit of maverick personality on the pitch, you can see that. You can see it in training, you can see it in the games. He’s got that ability.”
Stewart reflected on the club’s determination to sign Palmer, noting, “We didn’t think necessarily that we’d be able to get him here really, did we? There was a feeling that ‘No, Cole Palmer won’t be for sale.’ We’d been speaking about him throughout that window…and then as it came towards the latter stage of the window, we felt like we wanted to do something else and do something around that area of the pitch.”
He continued, “He came up again and we all said ‘let’s go for it, let’s see what’s possible.’” Winstanley further added, “We’ve all been aware of Cole since he was very young…when you check in and you get told ‘No, not for sale, not for sale.’ We weren’t going to get him on loan…Then you enter a period when all of a sudden there’s a sense this might have some legs, ‘let’s push, let’s go.’”
As Palmer continues to shine in the Premier League, Chelsea’s investment in him appears to be a masterstroke, and the directors are excited about his future prospects.