Ex-Chelsea player Jason Cundy says that Cole Palmer has already shown himself to be a better player than Kai Havertz just a month into his Chelsea career.
The 21-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City for £42.5m on deadline day and, after his excellent performance against Burnley, Cundy said:
“Cole Palmer is turning out to be the player that we hoped Kai Havertz would be. He’s in a slightly different position, but he’s the player that we hoped Havertz would turn into and he looks like a class act.”
Chelsea sold Havertz to Arsenal for £65m, and the German has continued to struggle since making the switch to the Emirates.
Based on initial impressions, it does look as if the Blues have found themselves an upgrade in Palmer, although any definitive judgement will have to wait until he has spent more time at the club.
The Chelsea midfielder was one of the standout performers at Turf Moor
The England Under 21 international got off the mark in a Chelsea shirt against Burnley, coolly slotting away a penalty after Raheem Sterling was brought down in the box.
Palmer then followed it up by providing his second assist of the season, cutting the ball back for Nicolas Jackson to seal a 4-1 victory.
Palmer has even surprised his manager
Speaking after the win on Saturday, Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino singled out the midfielder for praise. The Argentine has admitted that he is “surprised” how quickly Palmer has settled in, considering the fact that he didn’t even spend pre-season with the team.
As Cundy points out, the former Manchester City star simply looks like a class act, being able to slot in and perform in any position he is asked to play.
