Enzo Maresca has made a superb start to life as Chelsea boss, looking to be a shrewd appointment by Todd Boehly despite the question marks upon his arrival.
The Italian has the Blues sat in fifth place in the Premier League after the first nine matches of the new campaign, losing just twice to title chasers Liverpool and Manchester City.
His side have also impressed in the Europa Conference League, winning both of their opening two fixtures, sitting top of the league format and looking strong favourites to win the entire competition.
The 44-year-old has taken superbly to life in England’s top flight, with his philosophy suiting the current crop of players, allowing him to have a settled starting lineup and giving the big-money additions a chance to flourish under his guidance.
One player in particular has starred once more this campaign, picking up where he left off from 2023/24 and looking like a leading force in the Blues’ recent revival.
Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea
Following his £40m move from rivals Manchester City last summer, it was unknown what sort of impact Cole Palmer would have on the first team at Stamford Bridge – but the Englishman quickly established himself as a first-team regular.
The 22-year-old played a huge role in their ability to qualify for Europe last season, registering a combined 33 goals and assists – the highest of any player in the division.
However, he’s not been a one-season wonder, continuing his excellent form under Maresca and undoubtedly proving the talisman in the club’s early-season success.
Palmer, who’s now a regular in the England national team setup, has registered 12 goal contributions in the opening nine league matches – scoring four times in the victory over Brighton a couple of weeks ago.
Once again, he’s currently the leading contributor in the league, currently ahead of Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah as he looks to remain on top of the tree for a second consecutive campaign.
As a result, his performances have been recognised, winning the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award for last season, whilst also being nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
However, he was unable to get the better of one former Chelsea player who departed West London in the last few years.
The man who finished ahead of Palmer in the Ballon d’Or
Centre-back Antonio Rüdiger joined Chelsea in a £29m deal from Serie A side Roma back in the summer of 2017 – aiming to bolster Antonio Conte’s backline after their Premier League triumph the season prior.
The German made over 200 appearances over his five-year stint at the Bridge, helping the club secure their second Champions League title back in the 2020/21 season.
However, despite his success with the Blues, he would depart on a free transfer to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2022, allowing him to reach the next level in his career.
|
Antonio Rüdiger’s stats for Real Madrid since leaving Chelsea |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Games played |
116 |
|
Minutes played |
9,191′ |
|
Goals scored |
6 |
|
Assists |
3 |
|
Yellow cards |
11 |
|
Trophies won |
7 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|
The 31-year-old “warrior”, as described by Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, has since won seven major honours following his move to LaLiga, including another Champions League last season.
As a result, Rudiger was in the top 30 of the Ballon d’Or rankings, finishing 22nd, three places higher than Palmer, who finished 25th despite his stellar year at Stamford Bridge.
Whilst the club tried everything to tie down the German – even offering him a £200k-per-week contract – they would undoubtedly wish that they had kept hold of the defender given his recent success.
He would’ve handed Maresca that added defensive solidity that could’ve added that extra quality to help the Italian be a success in his maiden season in charge of the Blues.
Related
Chelsea wasted £63m on Lampard signing who earned more than Palmer does
Chelsea wasted £65m on Lampard signing who earned way more than Palmer does.
