Moving to Chelsea for a fee of £42.5M, Cole Palmer quickly showcased his abilities at his new club and gradually gained the admiration of many fans.

Having played 24 matches in the Premier League, the English midfielder contributed 11 goals and 8 assists. This also helped Cole Palmer become the standout player at Chelsea up to the present.

These impressive performances also earned Cole Palmer his first call-up to the national team last year. The 21-year-old player has recently been included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the upcoming friendly matches against Belgium and Brazil at the end of this month.

Revealing the reason for including Cole Palmer in the aforementioned squad, Gareth Southgate mentioned that the Chelsea star possesses four valuable qualities that he admires.

Specifically, Cole Palmer’s outstanding form is the primary reason for his presence in the national team. His diligence and versatile playing style suitable for all attacking positions have impressed Gareth Southgate.

Lastly, it’s Cole Palmer’s ability to shine in important matches. There have been numerous occasions this season where he has helped Chelsea out of difficult situations.

“He has the ability to handle the ball calmly and withstand great pressure. Cole Palmer can play in various positions on the field and always fulfills his duties well,” Gareth Southgate shared.

“Being able to decide the outcome of a match is when you’ve become a world-class player,” praised Pep Guardiola after witnessing 23-year-old attacking star Phil Foden score a brace to help Manchester City come from behind to beat Manchester United 3-1 in the Manchester derby at the Etihad on Sunday.

Those are certainly special words and a recognition of maturity for Foden – who joined Manchester City’s academy at the age of 9 and was among the crowd at the Etihad witnessing Sergio Aguero’s last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers in 2012, which helped Manchester City clinch their first Premier League title. “I always want to be a player like that, someone who brings victory to the team,” Foden, who has scored 18 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions this season – his best tally yet in a campaign – said. “I feel like I have the qualities to score many goals and contribute in big matches. I want to continue doing that.”

Foden has become Pep Guardiola’s pet project since the Spanish manager arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2016. Pep once declared that he had “the most talented player of his generation” after including the then 17-year-old Foden in his starting lineup for the first time. “We saw something special. Unique,” Guardiola recalled Foden’s early training days. Since then, Pep has been careful in nurturing Foden’s talent. He gave Foden 10 appearances across all competitions in the 2017-18 season, then 26 appearances in the 2018-19 season, and 38 appearances in the 2019-20 season. Even last season, when Manchester City secured the “treble” of Premier League – FA Cup – Champions League, Foden was still not Pep’s number one choice.

Now, Foden has suddenly become the player that every Manchester City fan, and England as a whole, is counting on. In a season where Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland have been absent for a long time, Foden has stepped up to the plate and shone with 18 goals and 10 assists so far, helping Manchester City nurture their ambition of successfully defending the “treble” – most notably if they win their fourth consecutive Premier League title. With the England national team, Foden’s stellar form increases their chances of winning the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany starting in June. Foden emphasized: “Not only for Manchester City, but I also have to do that for the national team. I know I can still improve even more!”

Guardiola had hoped that Foden would be the new midfield maestro, succeeding David Silva who left the club in 2020, but that has not yet materialized in recent years. The Spanish coach felt he lacked the necessary game management skills. That has changed this season, as Guardiola praised Foden’s maturity after Sunday’s match when the player scored his first goal from the right wing, his second from the left wing, and also appeared in the central area in the second half.

As a result, England manager Gareth Southgate will soon have to make a big decision about where to deploy Foden at Euro 2024. With Bukayo Saka in good form and seemingly assured of the right-wing spot in the attacking lineup, Foden could start on the left wing or in the central attacking midfielder position alongside Jude Bellingham, playing just behind Harry Kane. However, Southgate also believes that he has four high-class positions for the starting lineup.