Cole Palmer has revealed the brutal first message he sent to his former Manchester City teammates after his transfer to Chelsea was confirmed.
After coming through the City academy and spending three years with the senior team, Palmer joined Premier League rivals Chelsea in a £40million deal, signing a seven year contract with the London club.
In his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman was a breakout star, scoring 22 goals and registering 11 assists in 34 Premier League appearances, earning him a spot in the England squad for Euro 2024.
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And now, the 22-year-old has revealed the first thing that he said to his old teammates at City immediately after his deal with Chelsea was signed.
Speaking to GQ, the winger revealed that he had been asking City manager Pep Guardiola to allow him to leave on loan for years so that he could secure regular minutes.
Palmer had hoped he would be able to work his way into the Guardiola's starting lineup but when it became clear that this wasn't going to happen, even after the departure of Riyad Mahrez to Saudi Arabia, he knew he had to leave permanently.
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“I remember training on a Wednesday at City in the afternoon, and the news was ‘they’re trying to agree a fee,’” he told GQ.
“Every time the ball went out I’d ask the kit man or the doctor if they’ve agreed the fee yet.”
However, by the end of training that day the deal had not yet been completed, meaning Palmer was forced to say goodbye to his teammates with a blunt message on WhatsApp.
He added: “I didn’t really get a chance to see many people and say I’m going. I just had to get my stuff. I messaged the group chat, said ‘Thanks and everything. I’m gone.’ That was it.”
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Despite the unceremonious exit from his former club, there appears to be no bad blood between City and Palmer, as the Englishman's former boss has since praised him after his impressive performances for Chelsea.
Speaking in February, Guardiola said: “After two or three seasons he wanted more minutes than the last season. I understand completely.
“We knew the quality he has and the impact he has shown this season is enormous.
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“It is not just goals and assists, it is the quality. He is an incredible threat for Chelsea. In the future you will not forget. It looks easy, but it's not.”
Topics: Cole Palmer, Chelsea, Manchester City, Premier League, Football, England
Ben McCrum