Xabi Alonso has delivered a glowing assessment of Cole Palmer, insisting the Chelsea forward has even greater performances still to offer this season.
Palmer, who is 24 years old, has made an electric start to the Premier League campaign, scoring twice and contributing two assists across the opening four matches.
The encouraging return comes after a difficult previous season in which Palmer was hampered by a persistent and complicated groin problem that limited his effectiveness throughout.
As a result of that injury, Palmer was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the FIFA World Cup, and he was given the summer off to fully recover.
It was the first time in his professional career that Palmer had been given such an extended break, and the rest appears to have had a clear and positive impact on his form.
Alonso spoke candidly about Palmer ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League fixture against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Friday.
“I think there’s more to come. We can expect more from Cole. I am very happy with Cole. The way he has prepared since the first day of preseason, he has been there, he has shown the desire to enjoy his game,” Alonso said.
“I think what he wants is to enjoy his game, to have this good feeling on the pitch, this connection with players around him. If he gets that, the rest will come,” the Chelsea manager continued.
Alonso also addressed Palmer’s international future directly, adding: “England will come, more winning games will come, that will come naturally because he’s a top, top-level player. That’s the main thing for him — to feel good.”
Palmer currently forms part of what has been regarded as the most dangerous attacking trio in the Premier League at this early stage of the campaign.
Tuchel is set to name his latest England squad on Friday, with the Three Lions facing UEFA Nations League fixtures against Spain, Croatia, and Czech Republic in the coming weeks.
Palmer will be watching closely to see whether his impressive early-season form has been enough to earn him a recall to the international setup under Tuchel.
The combination of a full preseason, a refreshed body, and evident hunger to perform suggests that Chelsea’s number ten is building towards something significant in the months ahead.
