Pep Guardiola blames Cole Palmer for Manchester City exit

Pep Guardiola blames Cole Palmer for Manchester City exit

Hassan Abdulsalam 17:14 - 19.04.2024

Palmer will come face-to-face with his old employers at Wembley for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has blamed Cole Palmer for his exit from the Etihad after claiming the youngster wanted out for two years, as per Daily Mail.

Despite rising through City's academy from a young age and making the first team during the pandemic, Cole Palmer opted to join Chelsea last summer in a £42 million deal.

The forward has scored 20 Premier League goals - level with Erling Haaland (20) in the race for the Golden Boot and is set for a spot in England’s European Championship squad in Germany.

"He was asking for two seasons to leave and I said stay. He said he wanted to leave. What could we do? I said stay because Riyad [Mahrez] is gone but for two seasons he wanted to leave.

The Spaniard added that he felt he "had not given Palmer the minutes that he had deserved.

"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," Guardiola said.

Palmer will come face-to-face with his old employers at Wembley when Chelsea play Machester City in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final. Will the former Manchester City Academy graduate be the difference? Time will tell.

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