Cole Palmer has been named the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season after a breathtaking year at Chelsea.
The 22-year-old has registered 22 goals and ten assists in his first season at Stamford Bridge, establishing himself as one of Europe’s finest young players.
Palmer’s incredible form, which has included a four-goal haul against Everton and a hat-trick against Manchester United, has dragged Chelsea away from mid-table mediocrity into the running for a top six finish – victory on the final day of the season against Bournemouth will cement the remarkable turn around for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Starting off the campaign at Manchester City, Palmer opted to move to Chelsea in order to play more regular first-team football, and his decision has been more than vindicated. He has featured in 32 of Chelsea’s 34 Premier League games – having played just ten minutes in City’s first three top-flight matches – and is now a shoo-in to be picked by England for Euro 2024 this summer.
Palmer has played wide right, as a number 10 and also as a centre forward at times, demonstrating tremendous versatility in a transitional season for Chelsea. The Blues struggled to find their feet in the early months of Pochettino’s tenure, amid tensions off the field between the Argentine and the club’s supporters.
Pochettino now appears to have the buy-in of the vast majority of fans and definitely has the backing of Palmer, who said recently of Chelsea’s improvement: “All credit to the manager. All the players love the manager and want to fight for him.”
Palmer saw off competition from last year’s winnerErling Haaland, his Manchester City teammate Phil Foden, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, Arsenal pair William Saliba and Bukayo Saka, and Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie to win the award.