How Joe Shields reacted to Cole Palmer exit rumours before new Chelsea contract
Cole Palmer recently put pen to paper on a new contract at Chelsea.
His latest deal will take his stay at Stamford Bridge into 2034. It is great news for Chelsea supporters, as the attacking midfielder is one of the best players in their squad, if not the best.
However, last season, there was talk about Palmer being unsettled in west London and a possible move to Manchester United. The 24-year-old grew up as a boyhood United fan.
Joe Shields firmly rejected idea of selling Cole Palmer
No bid was ever made for Palmer, but if one had arrived, influential sporting director Joe Shields would have told his colleagues and bosses not to even entertain it.
According to TEAMtalk, Shields was one member of Chelsea’s hierarchy who was firmly against the idea of selling Palmer after exit speculation started to emerge. That is hardly a shock, as Shields is thought to have played a huge role in Palmer’s move from Manchester City to Chelsea in 2023.
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It was one signing that Shields definitely got right, but the same cannot be said about some of the other players brought in at his recommendation. That includes Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens.
Like Palmer, Delap and Gittens came through the ranks at City, where Shields previously worked. He knew the pair well, explaining where Chelsea’s interest came from. However, Delap has already left the club after just one season, while Gittens has missed so much football because of injuries.
Their failures are why Shields obtaining more power is risky, but that is set to happen due to Laurence Stewart’s impending departure. With the jury still out on Romeo Lavia, Palmer has been Shields’ only real hit, although Morgan Rogers could join him on that list shortly.
It is early days, but Rogers has really impressed since joining Chelsea from Aston Villa. Rogers had a good record against Bournemouth before Saturday, and it has only got better after his goal in the 5-1 win.
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