Chelsea winger Cole Palmer has been turning heads this season with his standout performances, but when it came to selecting his ultimate 5-a-side team, it wasnโt his current Chelsea teammates he chose, Soccernet.football reports.
Instead, the 21-year-old opted for some familiar faces from his time at Manchester City, with one surprise inclusion.
Palmer, who has been in sensational form since the start of the 2023/24 season, scored six goals and provided four assists in his first six games for Chelsea.
In his remarkable display against Brighton & Hove Albion, the young winger became the first player to score four goals in a Premier League first half, solidifying his reputation as one of Englandโs most exciting talents.
Despite his success at Chelsea, Palmer chose not to include any current teammates in his ultimate 5-a-side team.
Speaking to the EFLโs TikTok account, Palmer revealed his picks, starting with Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. He explained: โIn goal, Iโm going to go with James Trafford because Iโve played with him at England for many years and I think heโs going to be a top keeper.โ
Traffordโs inclusion was unexpected, but the rest of Palmerโs squad was packed with stars from his days at Manchester City.
He named John Stones and former Chelsea man Thiago Silva as his defenders, praising Stones as โan amazing player and a great personโ and noting Silvaโs experience and quality.
Up front, Palmer went for two of his former Man City colleagues, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. He was full of admiration for both, saying, โMy two forwards are going to be Kevin De Bruyneโeveryone knows what he can doโand Erling HaalandโI donโt really need to explain much about him.โ
With De Bruyneโs creative genius and Haalandโs unmatched goal-scoring ability, Palmerโs hypothetical 5-a-side team is a formidable mix of talent.
Despite his Chelsea success, itโs clear Palmer still holds his former City teammates in high regard.