Cole Jermaine Palmer (born 6 May 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team. He is known for his dribbling, shooting and passing ability.
An academy graduate of Manchester City, Palmer made his senior debut for the club in 2020, and was later part of their squad that won a continental treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in 2023. He signed for Chelsea that year for a fee of £40 million and enjoyed a breakout debut season, earning multiple honours—including the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards. In 2025, Palmer helped Chelsea win both the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, being named man of the match in both finals and receiving the Golden Ball in the latter.
Palmer has represented England across various youth levels, including winning the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, before making his senior debut in the same year. He represented his country at UEFA Euro 2024, scoring the equalising goal in the final.
Contents
Early life and education
Cole Jermaine Palmer was born on 6 May 2002 in Wythenshawe, Manchester. He and his sister were raised by a dental engineer father and a dyslexia assessor mother. Palmer's father played Sunday league football for nearly two decades, and Palmer regularly watched him. Growing up in Wythenshawe, he started playing football in his local grassroots club NJ Wythenshawe.
Palmer attended Gatley Primary School in Stockport, and was later privately educated at St Bede's College in partnership with the Manchester City Academy.
Club career
Manchester City
Despite being a Manchester United fan, Palmer joined Manchester City in 2010 at the under-eight level and progressed through the Academy age groups before captaining the under-18s during the 2019–20 season. He had faced concerns from the age of 14 that his physique was too slight for professional football, and academy coaches wanted to release him at 16, but academy director Jason Wilcox rejected their decision.
On 30 September 2020, Palmer made his first-team debut for City in a 3–0 away win over Burnley in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. On 21 September 2021, he scored his first goal in a 6–1 home win over League One team Wycombe Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup. On 16 October, Palmer made an appearance in the Premier League against Burnley, and scored a hat-trick for City's under-23 side that same night. On 19 October, Palmer scored as a substitute in a 5–1 away win over Club Brugge in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, marking his first goal in European football. On 7 January 2022, Palmer scored on his FA Cup debut in a 4–1 away win over League Two team Swindon Town.
Palmer saw increased involvement during the 2022–23 season, though still frequently featuring as a substitute. However, his 14 Premier League appearances contributed to Manchester City's title-winning campaign, claiming the title. On 18 March 2023, he scored the team's fifth goal in a dominant performance against Burnley during the FA Cup quarter-finals. Palmer also made four appearances during City's Champions League winning run.
On 6 August 2023, Palmer scored the first goal in the 2023 FA Community Shield against Arsenal, after coming on for Erling Haaland as a second-half substitute. However, Arsenal scored in stoppage time and eventually won the match in a penalty shoot-out. Ten days later, Palmer scored the equaliser in the 2023 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, which Manchester City won 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out after the match finished 1–1, in what would be his last appearance for the club.
Chelsea
On 1 September, Palmer signed for Premier League club Chelsea on a seven-year contract, with the option of a further year. The transfer fee was reported to be an initial £40 million, potentially rising by £2.5 million in add-ons. He made his debut the following day as a 62nd-minute substitute in a 1–0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. On 7 October, Palmer scored his first goal for Chelsea, from a penalty kick, while also providing the assist for Nicolas Jackson's goal in a 4–1 away victory over Burnley. On 6 November, Palmer registered a goal and an assist in a 4–1 away win at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Six days later, Palmer scored a stoppage-time penalty against former club Manchester City, as the two teams played out a 4–4 draw at Stamford Bridge.
In Chelsea's final match of 2023, away to Luton Town, Palmer scored twice for the first time professionally, while also assisting Noni Madueke's goal, as Chelsea won 3–2. As a result of his performances during December, which included four goals and two assists, Palmer was nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award, and his second goal against Luton Town was nominated for Premier League Goal of the Month. On 23 January 2024, Palmer scored another brace, this time in the EFL Cup semi-finals, as Chelsea defeated Middlesbrough 6–1 (6–2 on aggregate) to advance to the final at Wembley Stadium. He scored his tenth league goal of the season on 4 February in a 4–2 home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, making him the first Chelsea player aged 21 or under to score 10 Premier League goals in a season. On 29 February, he was named the Men's Young Player of the Year at the 2024 London Football Awards. By assisting Axel Disasi's goal against Brentford on 2 March, Palmer became the Chelsea player with the most goal contributions in a season aged 21 or younger, overtaking Arjen Robben's tally of 16 contributions in 2004–05.
On 4 April 2024, Palmer was nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award a second time after more impressive displays throughout March that saw him score three goals and provide two assists. Later that day, he scored his first career hat-trick, which included two goals scored deep into added time to complete Chelsea's comeback in a 4–3 home victory against Manchester United. By doing so, Palmer became the 200th different player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick, as well as the third youngest to do so in a match against Manchester United. Palmer's performance in this match enabled him to become the third ever recipient of the Premier League Game Changer of the Season award. On 15 April, Palmer scored his second career hat-trick against Everton in a 6–0 home win, finishing the match with four goals, and thus became the 31st Premier League player to score four or more goals in a league game, and the first Chelsea player to score two Premier League hat-tricks for the club in a season. He set a record for the fastest perfect hat-trick to be scored in the Premier League, completing it within 29 minutes. He also became the third Chelsea player to score at least 20 goals in his debut Premier League season, following Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in 2000–01 and Diego Costa in 2014–15.
International career
Palmer represented the England national under-17 team at the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
On 27 August 2021, Palmer received his first call-up for the England under-21s. He scored a goal on his debut in a 2–0 win over Kosovo in 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification. He was later included in the England squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, starting in the final as the Young Lions went on to win the tournament.
On 13 November 2023, Palmer received his first call-up to the senior England national team ahead of their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Malta and North Macedonia. He made his debut on 17 November, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute in England's 2–0 victory against Malta at Wembley Stadium.
In May 2024, Palmer was named in England's 33-man preliminary squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On 3 June, he made his first England start and scored his first senior international goal in a pre-tournament friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Three days later, Palmer was named in coach Gareth Southgate's the final 26-man squad for the tournament. He made his tournament debut as a substitute in England's final Group C match against Slovenia and also came off the bench in the 2–1 extra time round of 16 win over Slovakia. In the quarter-final against Switzerland, Palmer entered in the 78th minute and converted England's first penalty in their 5–3 shootout victory. On 10 July, Palmer came on in the 81st minute and assisted fellow substitute Ollie Watkins' 90th minute winner in the semi-final against the Netherlands. Four days later, Palmer came off the bench in the 70th minute of the final against Spain and scored England's equaliser from outside the box three minutes later. Spain ultimately won the match 2–1. Palmer was later named as the England Men's Player of the Year for the 2023–24 season.
Amid a drop in club form, Palmer was selected for coach Thomas Tuchel's squad for England's March 2026 friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. In May 2026, however, Palmer was omitted from England's final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Player profile
Style of play
A playmaker, Palmer predominantly plays centrally as an attacking midfielder, although he is also capable of operating as a winger on both flanks. Citing Wayne Rooney as inspiration, Palmer says he enjoys "street football style, playing freely and creatively". He is known for passing, ball-carrying, vision, and attacking intelligence. He frequently cuts inside the opposition's defensive line to shoot or create chances for teammates. Although predominantly left-footed, he is also adept with his right foot. Between 2024 and 2025, he was frequently praised by media sources as one of the best players in world football, as well as for his ability to perform in high-pressure matches, earning the description of a "big game player". Palmer himself has said that he enjoys playing in tournament finals.
Former Bristol City and Sunderland manager Lee Johnson described Palmer as "a matador showing his shoulder", and praised his technical ability. Palmer's composure on the pitch, particularly when taking penalties, has also been lauded, earning him the nickname "Cold Palmer". He responded to this by celebrating goals with his arms crossed and his hands rubbing his shoulders, a gesture he has attributed to his former Manchester City teammate, and current Chelsea teammate, Morgan Rogers.
Outside football
Business interests and sponsorships
Palmer has endorsement deals with Nike, Burberry, Beats by Dre, Toshiba, and Coca-Cola. In November 2024, he applied to the Intellectual Property Office to trademark the term "Cold Palmer"; the trademark was registered the following October.
Media
Palmer is an ambassador for the EA Sports' EA Sports FC video game series and appeared in gameplay reveal advertisements for FC 25, FC 26, and FC 27.
In June 2026, Palmer and Chelsea teammate João Pedro appeared in American pop singer Madonna's promotional short film Confessions II, during the "Danceteria" segment.
Personal life
Palmer is of Afro-Kittitian descent on his father's side of the family. His great-grandparents were part of the Windrush generation and migrated to the United Kingdom in 1955, while his grandfather followed in 1960. Palmer wears boots emblazoned with the flags of England and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 18 September 2026
International
As of match played 31 March 2026
As of match played 31 March 2026
England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Palmer goal
Honours
Manchester City
Premier League: 2022–23
FA Cup: 2022–23
UEFA Champions League: 2022–23
UEFA Super Cup: 2023
Chelsea
UEFA Conference League: 2024–25
FIFA Club World Cup: 2025
FA Cup runner-up: 2025–26
EFL Cup runner-up: 2023–24
England U21
UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2023
England
UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2024
Individual
England's Men's Player of the Year: 2023–24
Premier League Fan Team of the Season: 2023–24
London Football Awards Men's Young Player of the Year: 2024
London Football Awards Premier League Player of the Year: 2025
London Football Awards Goal of the season: 2025
Chelsea Player of the Season: 2023–24
Chelsea Player's Player of the Season: 2023–24
Premier League Player of the Month: April 2024, September 2024