It's March 2015. Jose Mourinho is Chelsea manager. Diego Costa is the striker. Cole Palmer is 12 years old. The Premier League has Sergio Aguero, Juan Mata (at Manchester United), and Philippe Coutinho.
On March 29, specifically, Chelsea are six points clear at the top. They have been top for the whole season, boosted by the arrivals of Cesc Fabregas and the aforementioned Costa. Mourinho also has a game in hand and a small goal difference boost.
Chelsea have beaten their closest rivals, Manchester City, at home and managed a strong draw away. Eden Hazard is in the middle of a run which sees him score after 90 seconds away at Hull City with a wonder strike and then he gets the ball rolling in a 2-1 home win over Stoke City.
In between these games, a certain Palmer is loving life at City in the academy. Playing in the No.10 shirt (which Aguero is wearing), he takes a picture of the back of his top and sends it to Hazard on Instagram.
"Your [sic] the best player in the world [red heart, football, and crying face emojis]". That is now an iconic message. Not only because it connects probably the best Chelsea player of the 2010s with the best of the 2020s, but also because Palmer has followed in Hazard's footsteps.
On Thursday morning, after announcing that Liam Delap would be stepping up to take the No.9 shirt, Chelsea also confirmed that Palmer would be changing. From No.20 to No.10, he has taken the exact same steps as Willian, incidentally.
In the process, Palmer has also taken over Mykhailo Mudryk's shirt number. The winger has not played since November after being provisionally suspended from all footballing activity after producing a positive test for having a banned substance in his system.
Six months on and there is no update on Mudryk's future with a public confirmation of the results from his B-sample still in the waiting. If he does return for Chelsea then he will need a new number.
Palmer, as Chelsea's talisman, has stepped up to wear the shirt that some of the most popular Chelsea players of recent time have sported. Joe Cole had it for 10 years, Mata only lasted two-and-a-bit seasons but was a firm fan favourite with the No.10, and then Hazard, of course.
Even Willian, who was maligned at parts for a lack of output at Chelsea, proved worthy of the historic shirt. He followed on from Hazard only for 12 months before leaving.
It is Hazard, though, who is the iconic modern-day Chelsea No.10. Although he often came from the left, Hazard would drift inside to take up positions like Palmer did from the right under Mauricio Pochettino last season. In truth, Hazard went wherever he wanted.
Managers took away most of his defensive responsibilities in order to allow Hazard to win matches. Palmer does not have the same luxury with high-pressing and total buy-in now common buzzwords in elite football. He is still the fulcrum of the team in which almost all attacks flow through.
Former Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard left a lasting memory with Chelsea fans (Image: Steve Bardens - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Palmer did not have the No.10 available to him when he joined Chelsea (Mudryk had taken it having also been the No.20 himself in the summer of 2023 after Christian Pulisic was sold) and was not immediately deemed to be the sort of player who would take it on. That quickly changed as Palmer settled quicker than anyone had imagined.
Chelsea's new No.10 is now the main attraction to come and watch this team. His reward is a more glamorous shirt number, if you care about that sort of thing.
In true mirroring fashion, it took Hazard two full years at Chelsea before he went from the No.17 to No.10. His move was also instigated by another attacker with a last name beginning with 'M' vacating the shirt.
This is all probably a bit far-fetched, but Palmer has been putting up Hazard-like goal and assist numbers for Chelsea ever since his arrival. He is not as quick or always dazzling, but Palmer certainly has the comedic timing and attitude of Hazard.
He is New Chelsea's answer to Hazard. Palmer has a long, long way to go before he can be ranked alongside Hazard as a Chelsea great, but he is on his way to being in the conversation, that is for sure. Nobody would have predicted that just over 10 years ago. Palmer was on the right track all along.
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you'll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you've followed, and you won't miss a beat!