Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has revealed that the club tried to sign Cole Palmer before he completed his transfer to Chelsea last summer.
The 22-year-old sought to leave Manchester City in search of greater playing time elsewhere, which led to his £40 million move to Stamford Bridge.
Palmer has since gone on to score 23 goals and provide 12 assists for the Blues in all competitions, win his first England caps and earn nominations for Premier League Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season.
Unbeknownst to everyone, the Seagulls were in the running for his signature, but failed to clinch what would have been a massive coup for the south coast outfit.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s encounter with Chelsea, De Zerbi said: “We thought he could be a top player. The qualities of Palmer are clear. This season he is playing very well, scoring a lot of goals.”
Meanwhile, it was announced this week that Adam Lallana will leave Brighton after four years at the club. The winger made 103 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions after joining from Liverpool in 2020.
“We’re losing a great player, a great man. I think he is very smart and he might not be able to play two games in three days but he is still an incredible player.
“I’ve been lucky to work with him, he’s an honest guy and I’ve learned a lot from him because he loves football. He could be a coach because he understands football.”
“He will be a big loss for us but we have to move on. The leadership of Adam is clear, but it is an opportunity for others to progress in personality and leadership.”
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