The 2024/25 campaign has hit the business end for Manchester City, with what happens over the next few weeks having a big impact on the Manchester club’s future.
This term has been an underwhelming one for everyone at City, with Erling Haaland stating that the season has not been a success as Pep Guardiola’s side have gone from winning four Premier League titles in a row to fighting for a place in next season’s Champions League.
The season can be salvaged by achieving their league goal, in addition to winning the FA Cup this weekend and the Club World Cup over the summer.
If Man City succeeded on all these fronts, BBC pundit Chris Sutton suggests that a certain £40m player may have regrets about leaving the Etihad Stadium recently.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Chelsea star Cole Palmer may be regretting his Man City exit
Cole Palmer left Man City during the summer of 2023 to move to Chelsea as part of an initial £40m deal, as the midfielder was not guaranteed minutes at the Manchester club.
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Ian Wright believes Palmer made a great decision in leaving Man City, however, that is a sentiment Sutton does not share, as the pundit believes the Englishman may regret his decision if Chelsea fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
“Do I think that next week he will be thinking ‘oh blimey, I’ve made the wrong move’ if they don’t get the Champions League,” Sutton said on the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast. “I think there’ll be an element of that. He went to Chelsea with that expectation they’d be pushing at the top end.
“Especially, as they promised they’d spend big and get managers in to progress the team, but this is a hypothetical conversation because what if Chelsea leapfrog Man City? There are a lot of what-ifs there.”
Kevin De Bruyne will bring his Man City career to an end this summer, which may compound Palmer’s misery if Chelsea miss out on the Champions League, as the 23-year-old could have taken over from the Belgian had he remained in Manchester.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Cole Palmer was the perfect Kevin De Bruyne replacement
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The role the 22-year-old will have at the Etihad next season, should he sign, would have been for Palmer, had he stayed at Man City, but the English star opted to move to Chelsea as he felt that the move to London would have helped him develop more as a player.
Player Games Goals Assists
Cole Palmer 43 15 10
Florian Wirtz 44 16 15
Kevin De Bruyne 37 6 8
Palmer is unlikely to have any regrets about his move to Stamford Bridge, even if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, as it is a decision that has seen the midfielder develop, it has brought recognition to his talent, and his performances helped him go to Euro 2024 with England.
All this might not have happened had he stayed at City, as the 23-year-old would not have got the minutes he currently is getting at Chelsea.
In an ideal world, Palmer would have wanted to remain in Manchester, but in hindsight, it is fair to say that things have worked out for the midfielder, and one day he may return to the Etihad.