"I was so adamant for ages that I wasn't going" - Cole Palmer reveals he was reluctant to leave Manchester City before Chelsea switch

By Shashank

Modified Mar 13, 2025 17:51 GMT

Chelsea FC v Leicester City FC - Premier League - Source: Getty

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has stated that he didn't want to leave Manchester City, but the lack of minutes forced him to change his decision and depart. Palmer joined the youth side of Manchester City in 2010 and made 41 appearances for the senior team.

However, due to a lack of minutes at his boyhood club, the Englishman joined the Blues in September 2023 for a reported transfer fee of £42.5 million. In the documentary 'England's Lions: A New Generation' on Prime Video, Cole Pamer said he was unwilling to leave the Cityzens. He said (via the Mirror):

"I was so adamant for ages that I wasn't going. I've never moved out of Manchester. I really didn't want to go. (But) you get a bit disheartened at City - why am I not getting a chance to play? You just know when you're ready to play."

Since joining the Blues, the Englishman has emerged as a key player at Stamford Bridge, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year and the Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year awards.

Cole Palmer was also Chelsea's Player of the Season for the 2023/24 campaign. In 77 appearances for Enzo Maresca's side, the English midfielder has scored 39 and assisted 21 goals.

Chelsea not interested in selling Enzo Fernandez amid Real Madrid links: Reports

According to Football London, Chelsea have ruled out the possibility of Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old has been linked with Real Madrid over a move later this year, but the Premier League giants are reluctant to let him go.

Fernandez joined the Blues in January 2023 for a then club record fee of £106 million from Portuguese giants Benfica. The Argentine midfielder struggled to settle in west London in his first six months, failing to score in 18 Premier League appearances.

However, Fernandez has become an important part of Enzo Maresca's side since the 2023/24 season. The former Benfica star has bagged 12 goals and 14 assists in 95 games for the Blues. He has played 2430 minutes for the Blues this season, less than only Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer.

About the author

Shashank is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football since the past 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has also played the sport as a box-to-box midfielder and a full-back at national level, along with Tennis, Taekwondo and Boxing.

Shashank has been a Liverpool supporter since 2014 and had first stumbled upon the club after receiving a gift which had the words 'Liverpool FC' written on it. He has idolised Steven Gerrard over the years but his favorite football memory is the Reds' incredible comeback 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semis. He, unsurprisingly, also loves Jurgen Klopp's managerial style.

He strives to report 100% accurate content by going through several social media platforms, and prides himself on his above-average vocabulary and researching skills. In his career so far, Shashank has had the privilege of interviewing Indian national football team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Shashank also follows the Indian Super League and the Eredivisie along with European Football. In his off time, he likes to do theatre, watch Tennis, and travel.

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Edited by Arshit Garg