Ex-Chelsea star Florent Malouda believes there are similarities between Cole Palmer and France superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Since arriving from Manchester City last summer, Palmer has hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge and, speaking to the Gambling Zone, Malouda likened his impact to that of Mbappe :

“I think that what Palmer has shown this season is the same ability that Mbappe showed when he first burst onto the scene at Monaco. Cole is a little bit older than Kylian was when he broke through, but in terms of his decision making, his calmness and his ability, he reminds me of Mbappe. That tells you everything about his potential and how far he could go.”

“Chelsea should be planning to build around Palmer for years to come. We haven’t had a player at Chelsea that the team should be built around in a long time. Every week, Palmer is so reliable. You know exactly what he will give you. I think that is the way forward and that Cole Palmer is the future of Chelsea.”

Palmer’s record since moving to Chelsea speaks for itself

19 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances is an outstanding return from the England international, especially when you take into account that it is his first season playing regularly at the highest level.

It is even more impressive considering Mauricio Pochettino’s side have struggled for consistency this season. He has managed to excel despite not being in the perfect environment.

The Mbappe comparisons may be one step too far

Despite Palmer’s phenomenal start to life at Chelsea, no supporter truly believes that they have another Mbappe on their hands. The Frenchman was a World Cup winner at the age of 19 lest we forget.

Even so, that shouldn’t detract from Palmer’s achievements and his potential to go on to do even greater things in the future.