"One of the players that has surprised me the most" - Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola heaps praise on Blues superstar

Former Chelsea forward Gianfranco Zola has waxed lyrical about the Blues' talisman Cole Palmer. Zola stated that he has been in awe of Palmer’s performances and that the English midfielder has "the ability to entertain."

Since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League. He capped off his debut season at Stamford Bridge with an incredible 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances across competitions.

Dispelling any concerns about him being a one-season wonder, Cole Palmer has picked up from where he left off last season. He has scored six goals and provided five assists in nine appearances across competitions in the ongoing campaign.

Chelsea legend Zola became the latest in a long line of former professionals who have heaped praise on Palmer. He said (via BBC):

"I’m very impressed with Palmer because he’s doing amazing things and has been doing them for more than a season now. He’s probably one of the players that has surprised me the most. I could see straight away that he had qualities, but I didn’t see all of this coming. He has the ability to entertain. He always produces good passes and very good assists. What I love about him is when he receives the ball he is always looking up and many times he has the pass in mind before he receives the ball. This is a quality only the really big players have. I’m impressed."

"In the last game, I saw a wonderful free kick from him, which is something that lights up my eyes all the time. This is all down to him and the people who have coached and helped him. Now he needs to continue because he is becoming a sensational player."

Despite Palmer's outstanding form, Zola urged the 22-year-old not to grow complacent but instead aim to become a world-beater.

"You never settle for what you have achieved. The big players want to be the man of the match, then the player of the month, then the best in the year and then the best in the country and abroad. You have to have this ambition, to get better all the time, because the demands of modern football are very high. If you don’t have high motivation you can’t make it."

Cole Palmer produced his best performance of the season during Chelsea’s 4-2 win against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on September 28. The England international scored all four of his side’s goals in the match, becoming the first player in history to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match.

Chelsea sporting director tips Cole Palmer to win the Ballon d’Or in the future

One of Chelsea’s sporting directors, Paul Winstanley, has backed Cole Palmer to win the Ballon d’Or in the future. In an interview with The Telegraph, Winstanley was asked if Palmer has the potential to win the highest individual accolade in football. He said in response:

“No doubt he can, no doubt. He’s got a bit of maverick personality on the pitch; you can see that. You can see it in training, you can see it in the games. He’s got that ability.”

Despite a trophyless 2023-24 campaign for the Blues, Palmer was a force to be reckoned with. Both at Chelsea and with the England national team, the 22-year-old ensured fans were thrilled whenever he was on the ball. Recognizing his incredible performances, he was deservedly nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.