How Chelsea won big as £40m Cole Palmer dazzles while £125m Mason Mount and Kai Havertz toil at Man Utd and Arsenal
CHELSEA’S transfer business has been heavily criticised since Todd Boehly took over as owner in May last year.
But just 11 games into his Blues career, the club seem to have made one of the signings of the summer in Cole Palmer.
Chelsea bought the attacking midfielder for £40million after selling struggling duo Mason Mount to Manchester United and Kai Havertz to Arsenal for a combined fee of £125m.
Palmer has more than filled their boots and is making an attack that struggled for goals last season exciting to watch.
The 21-year-old has already found the back of the net four times and registered the same amount of assists in Chelsea blue this campaign.
He has recently been the bright spark in victories over Burnley and Tottenham, while also impressing against Arsenal.
In the 4-4 thriller at Stamford Bridge versus Manchester City, Palmer was superb and came back to haunt his former employers by converting a last-gasp penalty to earn Chelsea a point.
He is showing Pep Guardiola why he would no longer wait to get more first-team opportunities and he is proving that Chelsea have upgraded.
The Man Utd man has struggled with injuries this term, playing eight matches and just 401 minutes in the Premier League.
But Mount is yet to show his new fans his best form, failing to get a goal or assist.
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He has also created just five chances, which is nine fewer than Palmer has managed and he averages one less per 90.
Mount isn’t playing as far forward as his rival and has won plenty more tackles and duels.
He’s also completed way less passes in the opponents’ half than Palmer, highlighting that he is being used in deep build-up by Erik ten Hag.
But Mount is yet to settle into the role and has completed far fewer passes, averaging 20.65 in comparison to Palmer’s 42.1 per 90 minutes.
It’s a similar story for Havertz, who only has one penalty goal and one assist since joining Arsenal for £65m.
He’s created nine chances to Palmer’s 14 and has completed one dribble showing he can’t carry his side up the pitch with weaving runs like the Chelsea man can.
It’s also a damming read for Havertz as he has had 19 more touches in the opposition’s box than the Englishman but is struggling to get shots on target with one only testing a keeper this season.
The ex-Bayer Leverksuen man is like Mount impressing in the tackle and winning duels when deeper.
But the ex-Chelsea duo are both no longer viewed as goalscorers or creative forces by their managers.
In fact, both Mount and Havertz are yet to create a big chance for their new teams.
And this is no surprise after the Arsenal man created only five big chances and the United midfielder just three last term when at Chelsea together.
Palmer’s creativity and ability to produce high up the pitch has led to Gareth Southgate giving him his first senior England call-up.
And Mauricio Pochettino‘s exchange of Mount and Havertz for a more direct attacker is paying off.