New Chelsea star Cole Palmer has opened up on the agonies of his move from boyhood club Manchester City.
Palmer, 21, left City for £43million at the end of the transfer window after being at the club since the age of six.
Brilliant early season form culminated in the midfielder scoring his team’s equaliser from the penalty spot as Chelsea clinched a 4-4 draw with City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and has also earned him a first call up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
Speaking at an England media day, Palmer was asked how difficult it was to make the move to the Blues and said: ‘It was a big move for me.
‘I’d never been out of Manchester, not even on loan or anything like that. So to move down there on my own was a big thing.
Cole Palmer has emerged as one of the best young players in the Premier League
The 21-year-old left Manchester City in the summer to sign for Chelsea in a £43m deal
Palmer earned his first senior England call-up this week, with Gareth Southgate including in the squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers as a replacement for James Maddison
‘When I first went down there it was difficult, I was staying in a hotel but now I have settled in more and I’m enjoying it. It happened fast to be fair. I spoke to someone at Chelsea and I was speaking to my dad but I really didn’t know what to do.
‘I was thinking about it for a couple of days, every minute of the day and then I thought for my career I thought I have to go and get regular game time.
‘The competition that’s there at City, the players that were there, the players that they were going to try to sign. It was gonna be hard.’
Asked to compare City manager Pep Guardiola and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, Palmer was diplomatic.
‘Next question,’ he said.
However he added: ‘Obviously you know how good of a manager Pep is and he gave me the opportunity and platform to kickstart my career so I’ll always be grateful to him.
‘Who knows what would have happened if I had stayed?
‘Maybe I would have played more, maybe not. But I think the decision to go to Chelsea so far is paying off.’
The 21-year-old cut a relaxed figure as he faced the media on Tuesday at St George’s Park
Palmer has been reunited with former City teammate Phil Foden in the England camp
Palmer stayed calm in the heat of all the late frenzy at Stamford Bridge to beat his former team-mate Ederson from the…