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Pep Guardiola has revealed that Cole Palmer's departure from Manchester City was a culmination of his desire to leave that had been brewing for two years.
Palmer, who had been with City's academy since the age of eight, made headlines when he broke into Guardiola's team during the Covid pandemic.
However, he opted for a £42 million move to Chelsea last summer, a decision that has proven fruitful as he has since scored 20 Premier League goals, putting him on par with Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.
Moreover, Palmer is poised to secure a spot in England's European Championship squad in Germany.
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Palmer will come face-to-face with his old employers at Wembley for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.
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Guardiola on Palmer’s Chelsea move
Guardiola expressed his perspective on Palmer's departure, acknowledging the player's exceptional talent and the limited playing time he received under Guardiola's management.
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According to reports from Daily Mail, Guardiola said, "Playing that level is exceptional. He's an exceptional player. I didn't give the minutes that maybe he deserved and now he has at Chelsea.
“I understand completely. He's a shy guy with a lot of potential. It is what it is. He's playing fantastic so what can I say, the decision has been made for many reasons."
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Despite leaving Manchester City, Palmer finds himself in contention for the PFA Player of the Year award, competing with former teammate Phil Foden.
Palmer's stellar performances in his debut season at Stamford Bridge have caught the attention of football enthusiasts.
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Guardiola, while defending his decision regarding Palmer's playing time, also addressed the performance of his team in a recent penalty defeat. "You want to play 120 minutes how we played the last 80?" Guardiola questioned.
"Do you know which team we were facing? Did you expect they wouldn't have the ball or the opportunities to create that? And think we were going to win another Treble? And next season another Treble? And win the Premier League by 20 points? It's not true. The most unbelievable thing is that we competed as a team until the end."
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