Chelsea have a plethora of talent waiting for Xabi Alonso to work with next season, and Kaka has been full of praise for star man Cole Palmer.
While there are plenty of Blues preparing to represent their nations at the World Cup, Palmer was one of the shock exclusions from the England squad.
Thomas Tuchel admitted it was a tough decision, however wasn’t convinced by the form he had shown during the 2025/26 season.
PREDICTION: Which Chelsea player do you think will have the BEST World Cup?👀
Mamadou Sarr is being slept on…
Kaka says Cole Palmer reminds him of himself
Injuries had also played a key role in derailing Palmer’s form. He is one of the numerous Chelsea players who wasn’t at their best as they ended up finishing 10th in the league.
This has not taken too much away from his stock though, and he has caught the eye of Brazil legend Kaka in the early years of his senior career.
He told Rio Ferdinand Presents that the Chelsea man reminds him of himself for his ability to play the game in a simple, yet effective way.
He said: “I like his style. I think for me, it is because football was a really simple way to think. I need to get the ball and take it to that place. And so I think Palmer has a little bit of that. It’s very simple for him. It’s just take the ball and go. I like the way that he plays.”
Chelsea will be hoping that Alonso can bring Palmer back to his best, and circumstances outside of his control could actually assist him on that path.
If you’re the president of a football club, who do you hire first: Jose Mourinho or Xabi Alonso?🤔
Put the bias aside!
Palmer enjoying first summer break since 2022
The Chelsea squad were struggling badly with fitness towards the end of last season, after competing in the Club World Cup last summer.
Palmer played a key role in them winning the tournament, but is in desperate need of a proper off-season.
He is currently enjoying this for the first time since 2022. Before Chelsea’s trip to the US, he was part of England’s Euros squad and the U21s the summer before.
He will be joined by Levi Colwill in getting a much-earned rest, after he was also not selected for the England squad after spending the majority of the campaign injured.
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