Cole Palmer is now widely expected to complete a move to Chelsea before the transfer deadline – and the speculation has now been put to Mauricio Pochettino.
Yesterday, it rather came out of nowhere that Chelsea were targeting Palmer.
Fabrizio Romano was the first to bring word of the interest.
Word then followed that the winger was open to the move.
And by the evening, the renowed journalist had already dropped his ‘Here we go’ catchphrase.
An agreement has been reached between City and Chelsea, thought to be around £45 million all in.
It looks as though everything is in on track – and Pochettino has been asked about the proposed deal last night in his press conference…
Mauricio Pochettino coy over Cole Palmer
Inevitably, Pochettino has been asked about the Palmer speculation at his press conference last night.
But perhaps even more inevitably, Poch did his level best to play it all down.
He said: “I don’t know anything at the moment. I cannot talk about players that don’t belong to us. What I can say? Nothing.”
A reporter then said to the Argentine that ‘it sounds like he’s having a medical tomorrow’.
Pochettino replied: “Who said that? The club didn’t tell me.”
When asked if Palmer was a player he’d be keen to get through the door, Pochettino smiled and said: “I don’t want to talk…”
Pochettino finished off by saying ‘Maybe yes, maybe no, maybe you know better than me’, when asked if Chelsea would be doing any more business before the deadline.
Palmer to Chelsea is happening
It is fairly clear now that this move is going to happen, barring any unexpected occurrences.
Pochettino did a pretty poor job at hiding that the deal is close to being finalised.
No one is buying that that club have not told him it’s in the pipeline.
Palmer moving to Chelsea is a bit of a shame. He made a great start to the current season, and a lot of fans had wanted to see him get more minutes following the departure of Riyad Mahrez.
But the money that has been offered for a fringe player is simply too good to refuse for City.
Hopefully Palmer now gets the minutes he wants and deserves.
