Cole Palmer continues to be the positive of an otherwise sorry season for Chelsea, with the summer signing the best business of the club’s scattergun recruitment drive.
Palmer enhanced his burgeoning reputation with another two goals in the club’s draw with Burnley, extending his record to 13 goals and eight assists in the Premier League so far this season.
The 21-year-old has become only the fifth player to reach 20+ goal involvements in his debut campaign at Chelsea – and it’s fair to say he’s in good company.
The Chelsea players to reach 20 Premier League goal involvements in their debut season:
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Chelsea equalled the Premier League transfer record to sign Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, spending £15m to bring the former Leeds forward back to English football.
Hasselbaink had won the Premier League Golden Boot during the 1998/99 season at Leeds before a single-season spell at Atletico Madrid ended in relegation. Chelsea invested a club-record fee to sign the Dutchman in 2000 and were rewarded with instant impact from their marquee recruit.
Hasselbaink scored 23 league goals to win a second Premier League Golden Boot in his debut campaign in west London, becoming just the second player – after Alan Shearer – to finish as the league’s leading scorer with two different clubs.
‘Oh Jimmy, Jimmy…’
What a goal. ???? pic.twitter.com/JfrIF8ZmN5
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 31, 2020
He also added nine assists to end the campaign with 32 goal involvements, as Chelsea secured UEFA Cup qualification.
Noughties Nines: Mr. Thunderbastard, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard turned down some of Europe’s elite to sign for Chelsea in 2012, joining the then-European champions from Lille in a £32m deal.
The Belgian had won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award in consecutive campaigns before his move to the Premier League and immediately showed why was so sought-after during an encouraging first season at Chelsea.
He scored nine goals and laid on 11 assists for the Blues, who followed their Champions League triumph with a Europa League win.
Diego Costa
Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Chelsea saw him search for a centre-forward to lead the line. Diego Costa arrived from Atletico Madrid and hit the ground running as the snarling spearhead of Mourinho’s team.
He marked his debut with a goal at Burnley and started the season in record-breaking fashion, netting seven times across Chelsea’s first four fixtures of the Premier League campaign.
Diego Costa at his peak was frightening ????@diegocosta | @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/pZXcwGPyaj
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 16, 2024
That return included a hat-trick against Swansea and Costa ended the campaign with 20 league goals, plus three assists, as Chelsea claimed a Premier League and League Cup double.
He finished third in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot, behind Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane.
Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas signed for Chelsea in the same summer as Costa as Jose Mourinho strengthened the spine of his side.
The addition of the former Arsenal captain added guile to the Chelsea midfield and helped propel the West Londoners to the Premier League title.
An outrageous assist on debut at Burnley was a sign of things to come from Fabregas, who ended the season with a league-leading 18 assists – seven clear of the next-highest player in Santi Cazorla.
Capped off by Cesc Fabregas ????????#GoalOfTheDay is a beautiful passing move by @ChelseaFC ???? pic.twitter.com/wiVk5V2mQu
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 10, 2021
It was the most productive campaign of Fabregas’ career in terms of goals created, with the Spaniard behind only Ryan Giggs for all-time Premier League assists (111). He also scored three goals.
Midfield Magicians: Cesc Fabregas, a Catalan creative genius
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer has become just the fifth player to reach 20 Premier League goals and assists in his debut campaign at Chelsea.
Palmer was a surprise signing in the summer after leaving the fringes of Manchester City’s first team for Chelsea, with the 21-year-old keen to secure a regular role after just three league starts at the Etihad.
The £42m fee saw eyebrows raised, but Palmer has been a revelation since swapping the treble winners for Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer is the first @ChelseaFC player to score in five straight Premier League home matches since Eden Hazard ✨ pic.twitter.com/SSaCOddonM
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 30, 2024
A full England debut arrived in November and Palmer has played his way into contention for Euro 2024, with only Ollie Watkins (26) having been involved in more Premier League goals among English players this season.
Palmer’s brace against Burnley took him to 13 goals and eight assists for Chelsea, having been head-and-shoulders above his below-par teammates for much of the campaign.
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