Latest news with #ColePalmer
The Sun
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Why Chelsea must move quickly to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons and ease some of the burden on Cole Palmer
RB LEIPZIG star Xavi Simons is the man to ease the creative burden on Cole Palmer at Chelsea. Together, the Netherlands and England starlets would give the Blues a new level of attacking threat. 8 8 8 Palmer (inset), 23, is Chelsea's talisman, the man they ask to make things happen. In the Club World Cup final a fortnight ago, he scored twice and made the third in the 3-0 win over Champions League-holders Paris Saint-Germain. But when the Three Lions star is not in form, as was the case for much of the second half of last season, Chelsea struggle to score and create. Enzo Maresca's side need another playmaker capable of unlocking defences, of making chances for others and taking them himself. The Stamford Bridge outfit have also been linked with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United. But statistics suggest it is £60million-rated Simons, 22, who has the skillset and quality to match Palmer's output. And just imagine the frightening prospect of Maresca unleashing them both on Premier League defences. 8 It is too simplistic to say Simons is a right-footed version of Palmer, who likes to cut in from the left as the England international does from the other side. But it is a good starting point. They do a lot of the same things very well and, in most cases, better than Rogers, Eze and Garnacho. Simons had an impressive 2024-25 campaign, despite being part of a Leipzig side that lost seven of their eight Champions League games and finished outside the European places in Bundesliga. The Dutch international's ten goals and seven assists in 25 Bundesliga appearances were below Palmer's figures of 15 and eight in 37 Prem games. But when you look at their numbers calculated per 90 minutes, Simons matched or bettered Palmer's output. Away from the more obvious stats like goals and assists, there are others which show how Simons might not only provide Palmer-like qualities but also offer something new. Amazingly, he had nearly 15 more touches per 90 minutes than Palmer and was also fouled more often. This is a player who wants to get on the ball and is prepared to take responsibility — as well as the hits that come with it. 8 8 Simons also averaged more progressive carries and won possession in the final third more often. Over the course of their careers in the big five European leagues, Palmer (two full seasons in the Prem) comes out ahead of Simons (two full seasons in the Bundesliga and a smattering of Ligue 1 experience at PSG) in a number of areas. But you can argue that Simons' breakout year for PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23 — Holland's Eredivisie is not one of the Big Five — should also be taken into account. He scored 19 times and provided eight assists in 34 league appearances, bouncing back from his difficult spell at PSG. There are always worries about whether players who are outstanding in other big leagues can reproduce that form in England. Rogers, Eze and Garnacho, to one extent or other, have proved themselves in the Premier League. But the fact remains that Simons outperforms them in pretty much every area except dribbling. And Chelsea have already signed out-and-out wingers Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian to boost them in that area. Simons is also versatile. He started on the left most of the time for Leipzig last season but not as an out-and-out winger, coming inside to impose himself on the game. 8 8 And he has also played on the right, as an attacking midfielder or No 10 and even as a false nine. He would give Blues boss Maresca a variety of options and fits the Chelsea policy of buying gifted young players. If the Londoners do complete a deal for Simons, doubts will be raised about how Maresca fits all that attacking talent into one team. Could Palmer and Simons play together, without treading on each other's toes? If one failed to deliver, then the other might.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump's son claims Chelsea stars asked him to join Club World Cup celebrations before awkward moment
Eric Trump has claimed that Chelsea invited Donald Trump on stage for their Club World Cup celebrations - and recognized it as 'the greatest honor of their life'. Earlier this month, the US President watched on as Chelsea secured a surprise 3-0 win against PSG, with Cole Palmer scoring a brace at the MetLife Stadium. Afterwards, Trump was on stage - handing medals to the players - before passing over the Club World Cup trophy and remained on stage as the side lifted the title. Many fans were left bemused by the incident and that confusion also stretched to some of the Chelsea stars - who seemed unaware that Trump would be on stage. However, now, Trump's second-eldest son Eric has lifted the lid on the situation and asserted that the US President was invited by the team to join the festivities. Speaking to BBC Sport, Eric said: 'Listen, he's the Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America. 'The winning team invited him to the stage because they said it would be the greatest honor of their life if the president of the United States could present the Club World Cup trophy. 'And by the way, I was there, I was watching it. The place went crazy. And there's no one that's done more for sport than him'. Despite claiming that Chelsea were aware that Trump would be on stage for the trophy lift, the bemused faces of some of their players in the moment said otherwise. Notably, England star Cole Palmer was left bewildered by Trump's on-stage presence and appeared to utter: 'What's he doing?' The England soccer star later spoke out on his confusion, confirming the president's celebration participation was entirely unplanned. 'I knew he was going to be here but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy so I was a bit confused, yeah,' he said. Trump had earlier presented Palmer with the golden ball award with the 23-year-old midfielder looking as equally baffled during that presentation. Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella admitted he was 'scared s***less' by Trump when the US president joined their Club World Cup lift. Cucurella told Spanish press: 'We had been told that, as a rule, Donald Trump would come to present us with the trophy and that we couldn't lift it until he left. 'And of course, we were all there waiting for him to leave, but the guy didn't want to leave, and on top of that, we looked at him and he said, 'Get him up, I'll stay here, and so on.' 'And I wondered who would say anything to him, you know... I was scared s***less!' Trump and wife Melania had touched down around 35 minutes before kickoff at the MetLife Stadium at the nearby Teterboro Airport on the presidential Marine One helicopter. After being spotted touching down near MetLife, Trump surfaced inside the stadium loud cheers could be heard from the 80,000 in attendance.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Drake hints Cole Palmer is inspiration behind his new album name as he shares brilliant video of Chelsea star
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FANS are convinced Cole Palmer is the inspiration behind the name of Drake's latest album. The Chelsea star adorned himself with the nickname "cold" following a stunning start to life at the club which shot him to stardom, including scoring in the 2024 Euros final and winning the Club World Cup. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Drake appears to have hinted Cole Palmer was the inspiration behind his new album name Credit: Instagram 3 The rapper shared a picture of Palmer saying his rapper name would be "Iceman" which is the name of the new album Credit: Instagram Play Dream Team now! Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season Free to play Over £100,000 in total prize money Play in Mini Leagues against your mates Submit a team for Gameweek 1 to enter £5,000 prize draw Play via Dream Team's app or website today! However, Palmer's exploits have gone beyond the pitch, with the Wythenshawe ace racking up a load of celebrity mates at numerous events he has attended. One previous event saw Palmer, 23, make acquaintances with Canadian rapper Drake, as the duo starred in a video posted by British artist Central Cee. But Drake now appears to have revealed he took more away from Palmer than simply friendship. Instead, he appears to have hinted that the name of his latest album, "Iceman" was actually inspired by the attacking midfielder. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL live and let liv Sky Sports presenter hits back at Chelsea fan YouTuber after shirt rant In an Instagram post by Drake with a series of photos and videos, the 38-year-old shared a video of Palmer answering a question. Palmer was asked: "If you were to be a rapper, what name would you go with?" The former Manchester City star then replied: "Iceman." Drake's latest album - his first solo release since 2023 and his beef with Kendrick Lamar - being called Iceman while he also shares a clip of Palmer saying the name is surely more than simply a coincidence. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Though some believe it is simply part of the marketing material. Fans took to social media to discuss. Cole Palmer and Chelsea celebrate in style as they arrive back at their hotel after Club World Cup victory One said: "There's no way Drake's album title is based on a Cole Palmer interview clip." A second said: "Was Iceman named Cole Palmer? I have just seen the video of Drake, Central Cee, and Cole Palmer. "Wow, man. My favourite ever artist and my 2nd favourite footballer collaborating. I hope Cole is part of the rollout for the new album. That is superstar territory no other current player has reached." A third added: "Drake using Cole Palmer in his Iceman rollout would be generational marketing." Another said: "Drake using Cole Palmer for the Iceman rollout would be genius." A fifth said: "Drake needs to drop a Cole Palmer bar in ICEMAN." While Drake builds hype for his new album, expected to release by the end of the year, Palmer has been chilling following his Player of the Tournament exploits at the Club World Cup in the USA. Last week, he was seen partying at Wayne Lineker's famous O Beach club in Ibiza days after he split with partner Connie Grace. Connie, who had been dating Palmer for a year with the pair having met when they were 17, rubbished rumours they had split because he had turned down a marriage proposal. She said: 'Don't believe everything you read online. The lies that people post to get views/likes is so sad! 'It's actually wild the amount of abuse I have received from grown men in the last 24hrs! No I have never proposed a marriage lol.' Following Connie and Palmer's split, a source told SunSport: 'Connie and Cole have known each other since they were teenagers — but handling a relationship in the public eye is never easy. 'Cutting ties on Instagram is a big deal for the young generation and speaks volumes. 'Cole has a lot on at the moment and has been spending time in the Caribbean to learn more about his family roots.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Drake hints Cole Palmer is inspiration behind his new album name as he shares brilliant video of Chelsea star
FANS are convinced Cole Palmer is the inspiration behind the name of Drake's latest album. The Chelsea star adorned himself with the nickname "cold" following a stunning start to life at the club which shot him to stardom, including scoring in the 2024 Euros final and winning the Club World Cup. 2 2 However, Palmer's exploits have gone beyond the pitch, with the Wythenshawe ace racking up a load of celebrity mates at numerous events he has attended. One previous event saw Palmer, 23, make acquaintances with Canadian rapper Drake, as the duo starred in a video posted by British artist Central Cee. But Drake now appears to have revealed he took more away from Palmer than simply friendship. Instead, he appears to have hinted that the name of his latest album, "Iceman" was actually inspired by the attacking midfielder. In an Instagram post by Drake with a series of photos and videos, the 38-year-old shared a video of Palmer answering a question. The former Manchester City star then replied: "Iceman." Kendrick Lamar - being called Iceman while he also shares a clip of Palmer saying the name is surely more than simply a coincidence. Though some believe it is simply part of the marketing material. Fans took to social media to discuss. Cole Palmer and Chelsea celebrate in style as they arrive back at their hotel after Club World Cup victory One said: "There's no way Drake's album title is based on a Cole Palmer interview clip." A second said: "Was Iceman named Cole Palmer? I have just seen the video of Drake, Central Cee, and Cole Palmer. "Wow, man. My favourite ever artist and my 2nd favourite footballer collaborating. I hope Cole is part of the rollout for the new album. That is superstar territory no other current player has reached." A third added: "Drake using Cole Palmer in his Iceman rollout would be generational marketing." Another said: "Drake using Cole Palmer for the Iceman rollout would be genius." A fifth said: "Drake needs to drop a Cole Palmer bar in ICEMAN." While Drake builds hype for his new album, expected to release by the end of the year, Palmer has been chilling following his Player of the Tournament exploits at the Club World Cup in the USA. Last week, he was seen partying at Wayne Lineker's famous O Beach club in Ibiza days after he split with partner Connie Grace. Connie, who had been dating Palmer for a year with the pair having met when they were 17, rubbished rumours they had split because he had turned down a marriage proposal. She said: 'Don't believe everything you read online. The lies that people post to get views/likes is so sad! 'It's actually wild the amount of abuse I have received from grown men in the last 24hrs! No I have never proposed a marriage lol.' Following Connie and Palmer's split, a source told SunSport: 'Connie and Cole have known each other since they were teenagers — but handling a relationship in the public eye is never easy. 'Cutting ties on Instagram is a big deal for the young generation and speaks volumes. 'Cole has a lot on at the moment and has been spending time in the Caribbean to learn more about his family roots.'
The Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Club World Cup final: Cole Palmer stars as Chelsea thrash PSG 3-0
Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup, beating the European champions 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium to win the first edition of FIFA's new competition. PSG were the favourites for a game attended by Donald Trump after coming to the United States fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals. But having been three goals ahead midway through the first half in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break. Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes. A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball. Cole Palmer celebrates scoring Chelsea's second goal in the Club World Cup final. Picture: Getty Images It was a scoreline that few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season -- they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League. They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it. For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double. Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique's team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with President Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118. There was even the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA tournament, adding a Super Bowl feel to a final played at the home of NFL sides the New York Giants and New York Jets. As for the football, for the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair. The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea on another hot afternoon. Palmer almost put Chelsea ahead inside the opening 10 minutes, before PSG should have scored at the other end only for Desire Doue to try to pass to Achraf Hakimi rather than shoot inside the box, allowing Cucurella to block. Cole Palmer lifts the FIFA Club World Cup trophy after Chelsea's stunning victory. Picture: Getty Images It was Chelsea who struck in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner. Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star billing by scoring again on the half-hour. Released on the right with PSG left-back Mendes out of position, Palmer advanced towards the box before stroking a low shot into the same corner. Joao Pedro played a part in the build-up to that goal and the Brazilian, signed during the tournament from Brighton, then got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0. Scorer of both goals against Fluminense in the semi-finals, he clipped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma after being supplied by Palmer. PSG had conceded a single goal in their previous eight matches and they never really looked like producing a comeback, even if Neves headed just wide in first-half stoppage time. Substitute Liam Delap almost got a fourth for Chelsea midway through the second half, before Neves was shown red to complete a bad day for PSG.
