Cole Palmer proving to be an upgrade on Kai Havertz at Chelsea, says Jason Cundy

Chelsea have been delighted with the progress of Cole Palmer since his arrival from Manchester City in the summer transfer window. The England Under-21 international has been a revelation for the Blues, and former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy believes Palmer is an upgrade on the man he replaced, Kai Havertz.

The Blues gleefully accepted Arsenal’s £65million bid for the Germany international in the summer after he had shown on glimpses of his potential over the course of three turbulent years at Stamford Bridge. Havertz has made a low key start to his Arsenal career and is yet to adapt to the midfield role he has been assigned by his new manager Mikel Arteta who identified him as the ideal replacement for Granit Xhaka.

Chelsea, meanwhile, invested a portion of the fee they received for Havertz on England Under-21 international Palmer, who was surprisingly deemed surplus to requirements by Pep Guardiola. The elegant midfielder opened his goalscoring account for his new club with a well-taken penalty against Burnley in Saturday’s thumping 4-1 victory and former Chelsea defender Cundy now expects Palmer to from strength to strength.

Jason Cundy hails Cole Palmer as an upgrade on Kai Havertz

Asked by fellow talkSPORT presenter if Palmer was an upgrade on Havertz, Cundy replied: ‘Completely! When you look at what Cole Palmer is bringing, he’s turning into the player we hoped Havertz would be. He’s playing in a slightly different position, but he’s the player we hoped Havertz would turn into. At the moment he looks a class act.’

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, was thrilled with Palmer’s contribution against the Clarets and admitted his progress had represented a major surprise. ‘He is a very talented player and he has the quality and he surprised me when I arrived because,’ said Pochettino.

‘It was the day before the transfer window closed. the way the he reads the situations and what the team needs in every situation, he can be the player who can link with his team-mates. He is still very very young but with great personality and he has the talent and the quality which we saw today.’

Mauricio Pochettino impressed with Cole Palmer’s progress

Pochettino’s faith in Palmer appears to be paying off, as evidenced by his performance against Burnley. The 21-year-old midfielder showed maturity beyond his years in possession and was rewarded with a goal from the penalty spot. His ability to read the game and make intelligent decisions has already made him a key member of Pochettino’s side.

Palmer’s emergence as a top-level midfielder is a major boost for Chelsea, who have been struggling to find consistency in recent weeks. The Blues have looked much more solid since Palmer’s arrival, and Cundy believes that he is an upgrade on Havertz. With Palmer continuing to impress, it looks like Chelsea have finally found their long-term replacement for the German.

Conclusion

Cole Palmer’s arrival at Chelsea has been a major boost for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. The 21-year-old midfielder has already made an impact at Stamford Bridge, and former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy believes that he is an upgrade on Kai Havertz. With Palmer continuing to impress, it looks like Chelsea have finally found their long-term replacement for the German.