“I Said Stay”- Pep Guardiola Unravels How Cole Palmer Downplayed Him To Join Chelsea

Manchester City may have won the treble last season, but the club looks a bit vulnerable currently. A considerable amount of difference is seen this year, with the Premier League champions losing some key players. However, the most notable figure among them is Cole Palmer, who has been making waves with 23 goals this season after joining Chelsea. But how can a team like City lose such a talent? Pep Guardiola answers the mystery behind his exit.

According to the latest reports, Pep Guardiola made a stunning revelation that leaving the club was Palmer’s choice. The Spanish coach said, “He was asking for two seasons to leave. I said stay. He wanted to leave. What can we do. What can I say?” stating that the English player was adamant about leaving.

Meanwhile, Guardiola has acknowledged Palmer’s talent and said he did not capitalize on Palmer’s availability. But more surprisingly, the manager also confessed to being aware of how good he is, saying, “Exceptional player, we knew when we were here. I didn’t give him the minutes he deserves that he now has at Chelsea. Incredible potential.” But the loss has been significant for the Sky Blues.

Cole Palmer has shown his mettle by being a lone warrior in a struggling Chelsea side. The player is now competing for the Premier League Golden Boot with 20 goals in the league, beside his former teammate Erling Haaland, and has been above players like Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins.

Handling the right side of the midfield effectively, Palmer, along with Bernardo Silva, would have been a perfect replacement for Riyadh Mahrez, who left for the Saudi League this season. The player, despite scoring just 6 goals for City, has been instrumental in clinching the UEFA Super Cup in 2023 after scoring an equalizer against Sevilla. Hence, the 21-year-old could have been the missing link for City this season.

Pep Guardiola looking to boost the attacking midfield

Reports suggest Pep Guardiola is now eyeing Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich. This could add more firepower to his attacking midfield, which was ineffective in breaking through the strong backlines of Arsenal and Real Madrid. The fixture against Madrid knocked them out of defending their UCL title, leaving Pep with more introspection.

Overall, it seems like Manchester City is worried after some of its previous players’ departures. Apart from Palmer, the exit of Ilkay Gundogan and Mahrez has also added to the pressure. But in a silver lining for City, the coach has already begun his mission of consolidating his squad. However, whether they would be successful in acquiring their targets remains to be seen.