Enzo Maresca has already made his feeling clears on Cole Palmer as he nears becoming the next Chelsea manager.
The Italian is firmly in the frame to replace Mauricio Pochettino, with Chelsea asking Leicester for formal permission to speak with him.
He is expected to pen a two-year deal with the option of a third, while Leicester City are set to receive around £10 million in compensation.
Maresca guided Leicester back into the Premier League with a superb, 97-point season in the Championship and received plenty of plaudits for the style of play on show.
Advert
The 44-year-old spent part of his apprenticeship learning from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and managed the club's Under 23 side, winning the Premier League 2 title.
It was there where he met Palmer, who has already become Chelsea's talisman after a stunning 25-goal season for the Blues.
Leicester faced Chelsea in the FA Cup to set up a reunion between Palmer and Maresca, and the coach spoke glowingly of his talents.
Advert
Speaking in his press conference, Maresca said: "The only difference is, unfortunately with City, he had many players like him so he struggled a little bit. "At Chelsea now, he's found more space so he's showing himself, so Cole now is the player that everyone is watching."
Palmer started the season with goals in the Community Shield and Super Cup but signed for Chelsea in a £40 million transfer.
He now looks set to be in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024, further justifying his decision to leave City for first-team football.
"I don't know to be honest, this is a question for Cole," he added when asked if Palmer's decision was the right one.
Advert
"But probably to decide to play every game, I said many times, we have players that unfortunately this year they didn't play too much so they come to me or the club to ask to leave. At the end they work every day not to be on the bench, they work every day to play and when you don't play, you are not happy.
"And with Cole, he decides to leave, with Chelsea, [so] he would play more minutes. With Cole, it was quite clear, if you see him every day in the training session or you see him when he plays some minutes with City. No one at City had any doubts about Cole as a player."
Should Maresca be appointed, he is expected to bring assistant and former City and Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero in as part of his coaching staff.
Topics: Chelsea, Cole Palmer, Mauricio Pochettino
Josh Lawless