Ex-Chelsea player Pat Nevin is very excited about the potential that Cole Palmer possesses.

The 21-year-old has looked extremely impressive since moving from Manchester City in the summer and, speaking to the BBC, Nevin said he can’t help but compare the player to Kevin De Bruyne:

“There are rays of hope, however. The brightest is Cole Palmer. I was wary of saying it out loud before but, watching him at the Bridge once again, I am convinced this lad could be world-class very soon. He is the closest I have seen to a young Kevin de Bruyne for a very long time.”

Palmer has certainly shown flashes of his potential since sealing his £42.5m switch to Stamford Bridge back in August.

There was that delightful assist for Nicolas Jackson, when he passed it through the defender’s legs, in the 1-0 win over Brighton in the Carabao Cup. He clearly has the vision and technical ability to be a very effective playmaker.

Palmer has even surprised his own manager since moving to Chelsea

Mauricio Pochettino has frankly admitted that he was taken aback by how quickly Palmer has established himself as a first-team player with the Blues.

Speaking in the build-up to the game against Blackburn Rovers, Pochettino said that Palmer is “playing like he’s been here ten years”. The manager went on to pay tribute to the player’s talent, character and personality, suggesting the club have found a true gem.

Can Palmer match De Bruyne?

Nevin is sticking his neck out by claiming that the Chelsea midfielder has the ability to follow in the Belgian’s footsteps. It’s a very brave comparison to make.

During his time at City, De Bruyne has scored 96 goals and contributed 153 assists in 358 appearances. Those are imposing numbers and Palmer has a long way to go before he can reach that level.