When Chelsea paid £42.5million for Cole Palmer from Manchester City last summer, not many would have predicted what would have followed. Fast forward 12 months and the 22-year-old is now one of England’s most efficient attackers.
Palmer scored 25 times and produced a further 15 assists for Chelsea last season. His form alone helped keep Mauricio Pochettino in a job at times and his moments of quality secured European football at Stamford Bridge for the 2024/25 campaign.
His debut season in west London led to him being named in England’s Euro 2024 squad, scoring the equalising goal in the final against Spain. Now, going into the new football season, Palmer is viewed as one of the elite and Chelsea’s best players.
His debut season in west London led to him being named in England’s Euro 2024 squad, scoring the equalising goal in the final against Spain. Now, going into the new football season, Palmer is viewed as one of the elite and Chelsea’s best players.
This summer, under new head coach Enzo Maresca, the Blues could repeat the masterstroke of signing one of Manchester City’s upcoming squad players. According to Simon Phillips, Oscar Bobb is on their radar over a potential move to the capital.
It’s claimed that Chelsea are hoping to tempt Bobb to join Maresca’s team by offering the same thing they did with Palmer: regular game time in the Premier League. Chief of recruitment Joe Shield, who worked at City as a scout, is said to hold the Norway international in high regard.
“SPTC sources have confirmed that Chelsea are now looking at Bobb as a potential option due to the fact he is in a similar position that Palmer was in last summer,” Phillips said on his Substack Si Phillips Talks Chelsea.
“Chelsea believe they might have an opportunity to land Bobb if he doesn’t play as much as he wants to in pre-season and doesn’t feel he is going to get the chances at City. Bobb is very much a ‘Joe Shields target’ if you like, with The Blues director rating him highly.”
Bobb, who has scored two times for Norway, has made only 26 appearances for Man City. At 21, the same age Palmer was when he moved to London, Chelsea could do far worse than investing in Bobb to bolster Maresca’s option in attack.
