"He said, Cole [Palmer], he said Cole is the truth" - Chelsea star recalls coversation with Raheem Sterling about Blues superstar

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has revealed that he was aware of Cole Palmer's quality years before they became teammates at Stamford Bridge. The centre-back, who spent time at Manchester City as a youngster, revealed that Raheem Sterling had singled out the England man for praise in the past.

Adarabioyo spent his formative years at City, making his professional debut against Chelsea in the FA Cup in 2015. The 27-year-old ended up at Stamford Bridge in the summer as he signed for the Blues for free following a stint with Fulham.

Tosin Adarabioyo told Sky Sports Premier League that he first heard about Cole Palmer from Sterling, with whom he crossed paths at the Etihad Stadium. He revealed that Sterling named Palmer as the one to look out for, particularly for his goalscoring ability.

"I remember having a conversation with Raz [Sterling] years ago, whilst Raz was still at City, and we were speaking obviously about Phil [Foden] and all the other younger players, and then he said, Cole [Palmer], he said Cole is the truth," he said.

"And I was like, wow! I was like, really, he was like is, yeah, that kid in around the box is a different level," Adarabioyo added.

Cole Palmer only had a handful of first-team appearances for Manchester City, including a couple in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup in 2023, where he scored in both games. Chelsea were convinced of his quality and paid £42.5 million to sign him from the Cityzens in the summer of 2023, and he has blossomed.

Tosin Adarabioyo has witnessed, first-hand, the quality of Palmer this season for the Blues. The 22-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided six assists in only 18 league games this campaign and has been one of the league's best players.

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Former Chelsea coach picks midfielder over Cole Palmer as best performer this season

Ex-Chelsea player and coach Jody Morris has named midfielder Moises Caicedo as the club's best performer this season over Cole Palmer. The Ecuador international has grown into a key player for the Blues, featuring in all of their league games so far this term.

Morris played for the Blues before managing their academy team and ultimately working as an assistant to Frank Lampard in the first team. He spoke on Rio Presents on YouTube, pointing out that Caicedo has had a better season than Palmer, so far.

"Caicedo has played better than Cole Palmer this year. I’m telling you, he’s been better than Cole Palmer at Chelsea. If you’re talking team of the season, who has played better than Caicedo?"

Moises Caicedo has found his feet after initially struggling following his reported £115 million switch in the summer of 2023. The 23-year-old is the only player in the Premier League to have recorded 100+ tackles (110) and 50+ interceptions (52+) in the league this year.