How Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer almost ended up in the Eredivisie

Updated: 7 May 2024 10:56 BST
4 min read

PSV reached out to Manchester City last summer for a loan transfer of Cole Palmer, according to Dutch media.

The 22-year-old Englishman hardly played at the Manchester club and was therefore allowed to leave. Ultimately, the attacking midfielder was sold to Chelsea for €47 million, where he has become an absolute sensation.

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Rik Elfrink of Algemeen Dagblad writes that general manager Marcel Brands wanted to change PSV's transfer policy upon his return in 2022. "PSV had to stop bringing in players from the German sub-top/middle bracket. Footballers like Timo Baumgartl, Philipp Max, Yvon Mvogo; in the end, you don't get any better from those signings and they were also expensive. You never get the A-category players from the Bundesliga, at most ex-A-category stars (Mario Götze)."

Instead, PSV had to look at players from a higher tier. According to Brands, the transfer of Ibrahim Sangaré, now at Nottingham Forest, was a good example of how things should be done. "An international from Ivory Coast picked up at the age of 22 from a strong division such as Ligue 1 for a hefty but not excessive amount of €7m and who can easily be sold on to the Premier League. In the regions where clubs such as PSV are scouting, that is A-category."

'Signing Palmer just didn't work out'

"That line of thinking has now been made a permanent policy. Walter Benítez recently made his debut as a goalkeeper in the Argentina national team. He also played in the Ligue 1 in 2022. PSV also bought an A-category star from Bruges with Noa Lang and hired Sergiño Dest from Barcelona."

Although Malik Tillman came from Germany, he was picked up on loan from Bayern Munich as a top talent. "What just didn't work out: hiring Cole Palmer from then-club Manchester City. He is now a sensation at Chelsea."

According to Elfrink, it cannot be ruled out that PSV will make an attempt to sign Bournemouth's Justin Kluivert next summer or sign someone 'one level higher' if Johan Bakayoko leaves.

STATS

45

Games
26

Goals
13

Assists

As for Palmer, he has become a starting player at Chelsea and is an indispensable part of Mauricio Pochettino's team. The two-time England international is one of the Blues' absolute star players and has recorded 26 goals and 13 assists in 45 matches.

This makes him by far the club's most productive player. Nicolas Jackson, acquired from Villarreal in the summer, is in second place with 16 goals and 6 assists in 41 games.