Cole Palmer has surpassed Eden Hazard’s record at Chelsea for the highest number of goals and assists in a single Premier League campaign.
In Chelsea’s second-to-last match of the 2023-24 Premier League season against Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday evening, Palmer netted the first goal.
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This achievement brings Palmer’s total to 32 contributions to goals in 33 premier league matches this season, marking an outstanding year for the young 22-year-old.
Palmer transferred from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge during the previous summer’s transfer window for a fee of £42.5 million.
Initially, his transfer was met with skepticism due to his limited experience, yet Palmer has since been acknowledged as one of the standout transfers of the season.
Despite Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s efforts to keep Palmer at the Etihad, Palmer was determined to join Chelsea in pursuit of more consistent playing time.
‘He was asking for two seasons to leave and I said, ‘No! Stay! Stay!’ – but he said, ‘No – I want to leave’ – what could we do?’ Guardiola said last month.
‘I said in pre-season, stay. He said he wanted to leave. What could we do? I said stay because Riyad [Mahrez] is gone but for two seasons he wanted to leave.
‘Playing that level [he is now] is exceptional. He’s an exceptional player. I didn’t give the minutes that maybe he deserved and now he has at Chelsea.
‘I understand completely. He’s a shy guy with a lot of potential. It is what it is. He’s playing fantastic so what can I say, the decision has been made for many reasons.’
Surpassing Hazard’s record stands as a monumental milestone for Palmer, considering Hazard’s iconic legacy at the club.
During his tenure from 2012 to 2019, Hazard amassed 110 goals and 85 assists over 352 appearances for Chelsea.
His pivotal role contributed to Chelsea’s triumph in securing two Premier League crowns, two Europa League victories, as well as FA Cup and League Cup successes.
