Cole Palmer has admitted he was gutted after Mauricio Pochettino’s departure from the club after just one season in charge.
The Blues took the decision to part ways with the Argentine last month and have subsequently replaced him with Italian Enzo Maresca.
Palmer had an exceptional debut season at Stamford Bridge as he took the Premier League by storm, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists as he was named Premier League Young Player of the Year.
Palmer gutted by Pochettino departure
Palmer is currently with the England squad preparing for their Euro 2024 last 16 clash against Slovakia on Sunday, and will be hoping for another opportunity having impressed from the bench against Slovenia.
Pochettino was the manager to give Palmer a real chance and the 22-year-old thrived under the Argentine in his first full season of playing regular football.
Opening up on his departure Palmer admitted he was gutted, and that he probably owed his place in the England squad to his former manager.
“He just gave me the opportunity and the freedom and said ‘do what you do’,” Palmer told The Telegraph.
“I was [sorry], because he put his trust in me and we built a good relationship. Not just with him but with all his staff who were there. When he left I was gutted.
“He is probably the main reason [I am in the England squad] because a different manager might not have given me that freedom and opportunity to do what I did at Chelsea.”
Palmer also opened up on his decision to leave City saying he had spent a good week thinking about if he should leave or not.
“I didn’t know what to do to be honest,” he added.
“I was thinking for a good week if I should leave or not but I just didn’t want to be in the same position as I was the past two years. Being a bit-part player.”
“He [Guardola] did say players were leaving and you will get your opportunity, but I felt I would not get as much opportunity as I wanted because the past two seasons I had been sitting on the bench.
“I had been training with the best players so obviously it did improve me but I felt like I was at a stage where I needed to play.
“I would come on for 20 minutes and then not play for five games. And then come on for five minutes. I couldn’t get any rhythm so that’s why I decided to leave.”
