Cole Palmer explains why he had to join Chelsea from Man City
- Palmer off to fast start after netting four goals in first nine Chelsea games
- The 21-year-old scored penalty against former employers Manchester City
- Gareth Southgate quick to call Palmer up for England's November qualifiers
Cole Palmer admits he was unsure about leaving Manchester City for Chelsea in the summer, but the chance to play regular first-team football was too good to turn down.
The 21-year-old swapped Manchester for London on transfer deadline day, penning a seven-year contract at Chelsea in a deal that could eventually be worth £42.5m if future add-ons and bonus payments are triggered.
Palmer has hit the ground running for Chelsea, scoring four goals in nine Premier League appearances, and showed nerves of steel to score the equalising goal against his former employers in Sunday's enthralling 4-4 draw.
His ever-improving performances have led to a call-up to England's senior squad for the November Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, and it's likely Gareth Southgate will afford Palmer minutes with the Three Lions having already qualified for next year's tournament.
Reflecting to Sky Sports about his summer move, Palmer admitted he was unsure about leaving City as he'd never even been out on loan, but after thinking it over for a couple of days realised that the move was probably best for his career long-term.
He said of the decision to go: "You know how good a manager Pep [Guardiola] is and he gave me the opportunity and the platform to kick-start my career, so I'll always be grateful to him.
"Who knows what would have happened had I stayed... maybe I would have played more, maybe not. But the decision to move to Chelsea, so far, is paying off.
"It was a really tough decision, and I didn't know what I was going to do. But with the competition that's there, the players they have and those they were going to sign, I made my choice.
"I was speaking to people at Chelsea, and I spoke to my dad, but I really didn't know what to do. I was thinking about it for a couple of days, near enough every minute of the day. In the end, I felt that for my career I had to leave to get regular game time.
"It was a big move for me as I'd never been out of Manchester. I hadn't been on loan or anything like that, so to move down here on my own was a big thing. When I arrived, it was difficult as I was staying in a hotel, but I've now settled in."
Palmer added that earning a call-up into England's squad wasn't at the forefront of his mind when weighing up whether to move, but he did want to give himself the best opportunity to impress week in and week out.
"[Making the England squad] wasn't a big part of it. I wasn't even thinking about an England call-up when I first went to Chelsea. I just wanted more of an opportunity to prove myself. Getting called up is just a bonus.
"I got the news straight after the match [against Manchester City]. My phone was going crazy because I've got some City fans who are mates and family.
"So, I read it... and then I read it again when it was confirmed. I rang my dad straightaway, and he was with my mum. I told them first."
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