Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer says he is excited to reunite with his close friend Morgan Rogers following the England international’s move from Aston Villa, revealing he is looking forward to recreating the partnership they built at Manchester City’s academy.
Speaking during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Australia, Palmer admitted he actively encouraged Rogers to complete the move to Stamford Bridge and is delighted the transfer has finally gone through.
“Everyone knows how good he is, and obviously he’s one of my best friends, so I’m very happy about him coming here,” Palmer said.
“We always speak and when I heard Chelsea were trying to sign him, I was texting him even more persuading him to come. He was probably sick of me by that point! I’m glad he’s here now and I’m looking forward to sharing the pitch with him.”
Palmer also revealed that Rogers informed him about the transfer before it was officially announced, although both players agreed to keep the news private.
“He told me straightaway that he was coming, but we kept it to ourselves. It was a difficult secret to keep before it was announced!” he said.
The England international believes the duo can form a strong partnership under new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, saying their different playing styles complement each other.
“I think we’re different players who can both offer a lot to the team. He’s more physical than me… I think we can play well together, and we obviously did that when we were young anyway,” Palmer added.
Palmer also joked about Rogers copying his famous “ice cold” goal celebration.
“I’ve trademarked it so if he tries to do anything, he’ll have bailiffs at his door,” he laughed, before adding, “No, we’ll do it together.”
The Chelsea star also spoke highly of life under new head coach Xabi Alonso, revealing that the Spaniard reached out to him after he missed England’s World Cup squad.
“I spoke to Xabi before he arrived. He messaged me when I didn’t make the World Cup squad. It was nice to hear from him,” Palmer revealed.
He added that Alonso has already explained his plans for him this season.
“He says he sees me as a No. 10, playing in the pockets,” Palmer said.
The midfielder said he feels refreshed after enjoying his longest off-season in years and is optimistic about Chelsea’s chances ahead of the new campaign.
“I feel good now… I’ve had seven weeks to get myself ready for the season and I’m looking forward to the season,” he added.
Chelsea continue their pre-season preparations with a clash against Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney before taking on Juventus in Hong Kong.
Source: Chelsea FC
