Cole Palmer Nearly Joined Shock Premier League Club in 2023 Swap Deal

Since joining Chelsea in 2023, Cole Palmer has dominated the Premier League; however, if the England international had transferred to West Ham United same summer, his career may have taken a completely different turn.

Palmer played his youth career at Manchester City, and in the few minutes he spent there, he made an impression on many. The offensive midfielder quickly made it clear that he wanted more playing time, and when he was unable to find it in Pep Guardiola’s squad, he began to think about leaving.

In the midst of speculations that Man City valued their own Lucas Paqueta, West Ham was one team that was very interested in Palmer. The Hammers rejected the Sky Blues’ offer of over £70 million for their Brazilian playmaker, but they made an intriguing counter-offer, according to The Guardian.

When Paqueta first moved to the Etihad Stadium, West Ham requested that Cole Palmer join them on loan. Palmer is more than capable of playing as a number 10, as Paqueta frequently does for West Ham, as has been clear in hindsight. Why, therefore, did the agreement fall through?

Why Palmer Did Not Move to West Ham

Paqueta has been involved in recent controversies

The Guardian claims that if Palmer were to leave, Manchester City would prefer that the Englishman leave permanently. However, it appears that West Ham was only interested in signing Palmer on loan, at least initially. This could have been because of Palmer’s youth and relative inexperience at the time.

Additionally, it appears that Palmer’s possible transfer to the London Stadium was totally reliant on Paqueta’s future; Palmer’s entrance would only be possible if the Brazilian left the team.

After the summer transfer window in 2023, City’s interest in Paqueta progressively waned. This might be partly because of the midfielder’s play, since Paqueta has had trouble staying consistent in the Premier League. It might possibly have been brought on by the betting questions that have been hanging over Paqueta for a while.

Given the amount of money City would have needed to spend to sign Paqueta, they might have decided to look into other options. Paqueta faces a lengthy exile from sport if proven guilty of betting crimes.

Since then, Palmer has emerged as a Chelsea star.
For the Blues, the midfield player has been outstanding.

The competition for Palmer ultimately went to Chelsea, who signed him to a seven-year deal for an estimated £40 million, exclusive of add-ons. Then-manager Mauricio Pochettino immediately included Palmer in the starting lineup, and Chelsea’s number 20 has never looked back.

Cole Palmer’s current Chelsea stats

Looks

76

Objectives

39

Helps

21

Played Minutes

6,201′

Given his subsequent actions with Chelsea, it is difficult to picture Palmer wearing a West Ham shirt. Palmer would have been a great addition to West Ham’s attack, but it is perhaps tougher to think where the Blues may be currently had they not acquired Palmer’s services, who seems set to be at Stamford Bridge for some time yet.