Chelsea star Cole Palmer has revealed the story behind his decision to leave Manchester City, the club he has been with since his youth days.
The 22-year-old began his career as a product of City’s academy, having been with the club since the age of eight, before breaking into the first-team squad but failing to establish himself as a regular until joining the Blues in a £40million deal last summer, where he has gone on to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s top players.
Palmer has opened up about the move, saying: “I wasn’t going to Chelsea. I was convinced. I just knew I wouldn’t play as much as I wanted. Even when I was in the England camp with the youth team, there were players playing in the league every week.
“And when you look around and think, ‘I could play in the league,’ when you don’t, it’s frustrating.”
Palmer has admitted he only wanted to leave City on loan after learning he would not play if Riyad Mahrez left, with the player replying: “No – what do you say? I just want to go out on loan.”
“I remember training with City on a Wednesday afternoon and the news was, ‘They’re trying to agree a fee.’ Every time the game was on I would ask the kit man or the medical team if they had agreed a fee.”
“So I didn’t have a chance to meet anyone to ยูฟ่าเบท tell them I was going. I just had to take my stuff. I sent a message in the group chat and said, ‘Thank you for everything. I’m going.’ That was it.”