‘I really didn’t want to go’ – Cole Palmer admits Chelsea transfer doubt in 2023

March 13, 2025
10:09 pm

Cole Palmer insists that he “really didn’t want to go” to Chelsea, revealing the “disheartening” reality of his move from Manchester City.

The comments have been released at a difficult period of his Chelsea career, having gone nine games without a goal which has been his worst run since arriving at Stamford Bridge.

Despite that, he still has 14 goals and six assists this season and leads the Premier League table for key passes he also saw his stellar penalty record come to an end after failing from 12 yards against Leicester City.

One potential reason for Palmer’s fall-off in goals and assists may be down to the absence of the injured striker Nicolas Jackson who has been missing since early February with a hamstring injury and he is set to miss at least another month, with April set as a scheduled return.

In general, Chelsea has stumbled into a poor run of form in recent months after what was a bright start under Enzo Maresca and it is all contributing Palmer’s current form.

While Palmer is now settled in London, he had previously been against such a big transition and he revealed whilst speaking on the documentary England’s Lions: A New Generation on Prime Video, that he was reluctant to join the Londoners at first. “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.”

During the documentary, he reiterated to his father Jermaine that joining Chelsea was “the best decision of his career” – and added he had no idea what he would have done if he didn’t become a footballer.

“I’m thankful,” he added. “I have no idea what I’d do if I wasn’t a footballer. Actually zero idea. Growing up with around Wythenshawe, everyone does footy or drugs. There are two paths. I just love football so much. You don’t get there with no graft, do you?”

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Chelsea’s transfer plans to help Palmer

While the Blues are the third-highest scorers this season, there has been an overreliance on Palmer and Jackson. Outside of that, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madeuke and Christopher Nkunku have all flattered to deceive in front of goal.

Nkunku may exit after struggling to break into the first team and one striker who has been linked is Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface who failed to start in either of their knockout ties against Bayern Munich as they fell to a 5-0 aggregate defeat.

The 24-year-old has been in great form across the past few years, netting 33 goals and providing 11 assists in 55 games and was key in their unbeaten Bundesliga victory last season.

But there are other options on the market including the best goalscoring striker aged 21 or under in Benjamin Sesko who is also being courted by Arsenal and Manchester United. Regardless, Palmer is likely to be amongst new faces when next season rolls around.