There is a lovely photograph from the Jan Breydel Stadium last week, snapped as Cole Palmer bounced away towards Manchester City’s support in Bruges with Raheem Sterling in tow.
Sterling’s arms were outstretched, his grin somehow wider, after watching the 19-year-old confidently push the cutback ahead of him and then curl home from the box’s edge for a maiden Champions League goal. Trademark Palmer, the sort of finish that those who follow City’s academy teams have seen countless times before.
On the biggest stage, here was a picture that perfectly captured one description of Palmer’s rise by a City source. ‘You can see the other players now looking at Cole and going, “right, WOW.” Nothing is fazing him,’ they said.
Cole Palmer (right) scored a trademark finish for his first Champions League goal for Man City
Palmer curled home at Club Bruges last week in a career highlight for the 19-year-old City star
Rodri is seen beaming in the background and the majority of Pep Guardiola’s team rushed to mob their newest prodigious talent. Palmer, a wiry forward whose brain has always compensated for his slight frame, counts Sterling as a major help during his settling in period and it was heartening to witness a seasoned professional going through their own stuff react so positively.
Palmer, whose YouTube showreel is awash with the audacious from the right wing or inside, has been around Guardiola’s group since Project Restart. The senior coaching staff are enthused about a raft of youngsters coming through but Palmer shone from the off.
‘He is the next star,’ said one only a few weeks on from his introduction into training. He was handed a European debut in Marseille soon after.
Prodigy Palmer (middle) has been in Pep Guardiola’s first-team since Project Restart last year
Looking at him flourish among some of the best players in Europe, under arguably the continent’s most innovative manager, it is hard to imagine anything other than this being an…
Source : dailymail
