Who is Cole Palmer?

Cole Palmer, at 21 years old, netted four goals in Chelsea’s 6-0 victory against Everton on Monday, April 15, making him one of the top scorers in the Premier League with 20 goals, alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland from Norway. Introducing the promising new English talent.

Cole Palmer (21 years old) has just scored four goals in his first ever quadruple against Everton (6-0) on Monday April 15, following an impressive hat-trick against Manchester United (4-3) that saw two goals in added time. This incredible performance has already cemented his status as a Chelsea legend, despite only being in his first season with the London club. Once an unfamiliar name to Chelsea supporters a year ago, his name is now proudly displayed on the jerseys of most fans. But who exactly is Cole Palmer?

Started training at Manchester City from the age of eight

Cole Jermaine Palmer, Chelsea’s player with jersey number 20, was born in Manchester, specifically in the working-class neighborhood of Wythenshawe. He has Caribbean roots as his father, Cole Andrea, hails from Saint Kitts and Nevis, a country in the Caribbean region.

After training at the Manchester City academy from the age of 8, he played his first match as a starter against Burnley on September 30, 2020 in the English League Cup. But less than three years later, he chose to leave Manchester City because of issues with Pep Guardiola and moved to another team before the end of the summer transfer window on September 1, 2023

Chelsea faced backlash for the transfer as they spent a hefty sum that summer (around 470 million euros) and invested 47 million euros to sign him, despite his minimal experience with 41 games in sky blue (and no Premier League goals). Primarily, the transfer was considered a betrayal by Mancunian supporters, who had high hopes for him at the club.

Following Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard footsteps

Despite facing criticism and being part of a large Chelsea squad with 41 players, Cole Palmer quickly earned his spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup and impressed everyone. Making his debut against Fulham on October 2, he went on to score four goals and provide two assists in the next five matches. These performances came against top teams like Arsenal (2-2), Tottenham (1-4 victory), and particularly Manchester City (4-4), where he scored a crucial equalizer in stoppage time (90’+5), silencing his critics. This icy calmness later became his trademark celebration.

His way of celebrating has become iconic, and soon his name might be legendary. Already, part of his name has gained significance as he recently became the first player to score four goals for Chelsea since Frank Lampard, the club’s top scorer, and the first to achieve over 20 goals in a season since Eden Hazard in 2018-2019.

Additionally to his objectives, the right winger, who can also play in an attacking midfield position, is a superb playmaker too. He is actually the initial Chelsea player to be directly involved in more than 25 goals in a single Premier League season since Eden Hazard (31), also in the 2018-2019 season.

He has the ability to surpass records at this pace given that there are seven league matches remaining in the season. Chelsea, undefeated in eight matches and currently at 47 points with a game in hand, rely on him to help them secure a spot in Europe once again. Just one win would be sufficient for them to move back up to the top 6, currently occupied by Newcastle at 50 points.

Towards a title with England?

Cole Palmer has a good chance of being part of the 23 English players selected for Euro 2024 this summer. Having won the Euro U21 tournament against Spain with a score of 1-0 on July 8, 2023, he made his debut for the senior national team in November. Despite playing 15 matches and scoring 5 goals for the under-21 team, Palmer has only played a total of 35 minutes in two games for the senior team so far. But based on his recent form, it is possible that he will have a significantly increased playing time in the next Euro tournament in Germany.

Gareth Southgate’s 4-3-3 formation allows him to play in two different roles: either as an attacking midfielder or as a right winger. These positions are typically filled by City player Phil Foden and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who have both had successful seasons, but are facing a busy schedule with league games, cup matches, and the Champions League. A rotation may occur by June to earn points before the European Championship begins.

England, the unlucky second-placed team in the previous edition (lost to Italy 1-1, 3-2 in penalties), is among the favorites to win the final this time. Positioned in Group C along with teams like Slovenia featuring Jan Oblak from Atletico Madrid, Denmark with Christian Eriksen from Manchester United, and Serbia with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Al-Hilal, the English squad is heavily favored in the group. If they finish first, they would face a third-placed team from Group D, E, or F in the next round, and potentially a second-placed team from another group in the quarterfinals. The stage is set for the rising stars of England.