Pep Guardiola allowed Cole Palmer to leave last season(Image: Getty Images)

Cole Palmer statement made as Pep Guardiola could live to regret his decision

Pep Guardiola has done little wrong since he became the manager of Manchester City, but one former England boss thinks Cole Palmer could be his greatest mistake

by · The Mirror

Former England manager Glen Hoddle has tipped Cole Palmer to be even better than Phil Foden in what would be a nightmare outcome for Pep Guardiola.

Palmer has started the season in incredible fashion, netting seven goals and contributing five assists in nine Premier League appearances. While Chelsea have spent more than £1 billion on players since the Clearlake Capital consortium bought the club in 2022, the 22-year-old represents an incredible bargain at £40m.

He also shined for England at Euro 2024, providing the winning assist in the semi-final and netting an equaliser in the final against Spain. Meanwhile, Foden has struggled to make an impact with the Three Lions and has also begun the season slowly.

Both players are already being compared to each other due to the fact they operate in the same position and that Guardiola chose to sell Palmer to the Blues last season. Considering their performances, Hoddle thinks the City boss may be left to rue his decision to allow him to walk away.

While speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Hoddle said: "I’ve always rated Phil Foden as a top player. He hasn’t played so well in the Euros and hasn’t done what I thought he would do.

"I think Foden is a special talent but it's whether he can reproduce what he’s doing at City in an England shirt. Cole Palmer looks unbelievable.

"He’s an interesting one because, if he stays unattached to the game, for me he’s a player that plays in the playground. He could elevate himself to being a superstar and could go ahead of Foden in many ways.

Foden and Palmer will likely be competing for a position in the England starting XI( Image: Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

"The question mark is if he can continue to do that over the coming seasons. We all know what’s coming for him.

"The journey he’ll be taking with the ups and downs, injuries he might get, dip in form – there is a multitude of things he has to come through to be the superstar I think he is.”

Palmer has enjoyed an injury-free start to life in west London so far, while Foden has already had to battle against injuries at the Etihad Stadium. He has only started two Premier League matches this season, but has kicked off his Champions League campaign with two goals and an assist in three matches.

Palmer has taken the Premier League by storm at Chelsea( Image: (Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images))

Before City's FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea, Guardiola admitted he wanted to hold onto Palmer. Despite his best attempts, the former City academy product desired regular game time.

Guardiola said: "In pre-season I said stay because Riyad [Mahrez] has gone and he said 'No, I want to leave'. After two seasons, what could I say?

"I said many times, I didn't give him the minutes that he maybe deserved and wanted, the minutes he now has at Chelsea. I understand that completely. I am happy for him because he is a lovely guy. He is playing good and is an incredible threat."

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.