“I Kept Messaging Him”—Cole Palmer Reveals Secret Chats with Liam Delap Before Chelsea Move
Chelsea star Cole Palmer admits he played a behind-the-scenes role in Liam Delap’s £30m transfer—urging his former Man City teammate to join him at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer has opened up about his behind-the-scenes chats with close friend Liam Delap before the striker sealed his move to Chelsea — and he couldn’t hide his excitement.
The two young stars, who rose through the ranks together at Manchester City’s academy, are now set to reunite at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea completed a £30 million deal with Ipswich Town for Delap.
Palmer, now one of Chelsea’s most important players, revealed how he’d been in Delap’s ear throughout the transfer talks, eager to link up with his old teammate again.
“I’m excited to play with him,” Palmer said. “I was messaging him asking if he was coming and that. I played with him at Under-18s, Under-21s — we went to the first team together.”
The bond between the pair has remained strong even after their paths took different turns. While Palmer made a big-money move to Chelsea and quickly became the club’s attacking focal point, Delap took a longer route, building his name on loan spells before his breakout season at Ipswich.
Palmer knows exactly what Delap brings to the team — and why he believes he’s ready for the Premier League stage.
“He’s a great striker, one of the best in the Premier League,” said Palmer. “You could see that from last season. So I think he’ll help us a lot and hopefully score lots of goals.”
Delap, still only 21, impressed last season with a strong run of form and a growing reputation as a powerful forward with a sharp eye for goal. His rise didn’t go unnoticed by Chelsea scouts — and definitely not by Palmer.
The move now sets up an exciting reunion and perhaps a new attacking duo for Chelsea fans to watch. Palmer knows first-hand how effective their partnership can be, having played together at every level from youth football to senior training sessions under Pep Guardiola.
The connection is natural, the chemistry already built. And after Chelsea’s rollercoaster season — where Palmer was often left to carry the attack alone — he’s delighted to have a striker he knows and trusts joining the project.
To Palmer, it’s not just about reliving old memories — it’s about building something fresh with a teammate who shares the same hunger and drive to succeed.
“We’ve played together for years,” he said. “It just makes things easier on the pitch when you’ve got that understanding already. I’m buzzing to see what we can do at Chelsea.”
With Champions League football returning to Stamford Bridge and Delap now part of the squad, Chelsea fans have every reason to feel optimistic about what’s coming next — and Palmer is clearly ready to lead the way, this time with an old friend right beside him.
