Cole Palmer: 6 Man City Attackers Chelsea Star Is Outperforming This Season

• Cole Palmer left Manchester City to join Chelsea in the summer
• The Blues paid £45 million for a relatively unproven young player
• He has been Mauricio Pochettino’s best player so far this season

Todd Boehly has shown an affinity for signing young players since he took over the ownership mantle at Chelsea two years ago, aiming to redefine the club's identity.

The American billionaire has spent over £1 billion filling the team up with young players, a decision that has probably led to the team's struggles at competing due to lack a of experience.

Per BBC Sports, Cole Palmer was unproven when Chelsea paid £42.5 million to Manchester City to acquire his services in the summer. Many fans slammed the signing as another kid who would not immediately improve the squad.

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The England U21 star has proven all of them wrong and is Chelsea’s best player. Per Transfermarkt, he has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in the league this season. Only Erling Haaland at his former club, City, has better stats.

Sports Brief looks at six City attackers Palmer is outperforming this season.

City attacker Palmer is outperforming

1. Phil Foden

City's best academy product in recent years, Foden, is having his best year at the Etihad Stadium this season and has 11 goals and seven assists in 28 games. He has one assist less than his former academy mate, who has played 559 minutes less.

2. Julian Alvarez

The Argentina striker had a part role in City's run to the treble last season but has featured in all league games this year. He has played in the number 10 role and on the wing partly due to Kevin De Bruyne’s injury. He has a return of eight goals and nine assists, less than his former teammate despite 453 more minutes.

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3. Jack Grealish

The £100mil signing from Aston Villa in 2021 has not lived up to his price tag. He has played 14 league games this season due to injury and contributed to four goals, lower than Palmer's. Grealish’s best season was the 2022/23 season, and he returned five goals and seven assists in 28 games.

4. Bernardo Silva

Pep Guardiola's most used player in his career with over 350 games for the manager, Bernardo Silva, has contributed to 10 goals this season, nine less than the 21-year-old Chelsea star. In the Portuguese’s best season, he scored seven goals and assisted another seven in 2018/19.

5. Jeremy Doku

Per Sky Sports, the Citizens paid £55mil for the Belgian winger from Rennes. In 20 league games, he has two goals and five assists. Five of his goal contributions came against Bournemouth, where he scored one and assisted four. He was touted as Riyad Mahrez’s replacement, but Palmer could have saved the club his transfer fee.

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6. Kevin De Bruyne

It is unfair to the Belgian playmaker to be on this list, as he has barely featured this season after undergoing surgery on his hamstring. He has played only 493 minutes of Premier League action, less than six complete games and returned a goal and five assists.

Palmer trying to steal City's tactics

Sports Brief previously reported on Palmer peeping into Man City's huddle during the pulsating 4-4 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November.

He punished his former team by scoring a late penalty to earn a point for his new team, even though they deserved more, having been the best team on the day.