Cliff Notes – Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo backs ‘little superstar’ Cole Palmer
- Tosin Adarabioyo has defended Cole Palmer amid criticism, highlighting his potential to excel at the Club World Cup.
- Palmer, despite recent struggles, remains a key figure for Chelsea, with his image prominently featured in tournament promotions.
- Adarabioyo emphasises the importance of team support for Palmer, noting his focus and dedication to football.
Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo backs ‘little superstar’ Cole Palmer
Tosin Adarabioyo has defended Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer amid criticism of his performances and backed the “little superstar” to thrive at the Club World Cup.
Chelsea travel from their Miami training base on Friday ahead of their round-of-16 clash with Benfica in Charlotte on Saturday after finishing second in Group D.
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Palmer was an unused substitute in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Esperance de Tunis and has so far struggled to produce his best having suffered a drop in form during the second half of last season.
While the 23-year-old registered 20 goal involvements in 21 Premier League matches, just four came in the final 17. But that did not stop the tournament organisers making Palmer one of the poster boys of the Club World Cup, his face featuring on banners across Philadelphia where Chelsea played their final two group matches.
“I’ve known Cole since he was a young boy so even me seeing him on those big banners makes me very, very proud,” said Tosin. “I think people do forget that he’s still 22, 23 years of age and he’s one of the faces of this tournament.
“Obviously his life has changed in the past two years. I banter him some time and tell him he’s a little superstar. But yeah, he handles it very well. He knows his focus is brilliant on football. He loves playing football and that’s Cole Palmer for you.
Tosin Adarabioyo has backed Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer to thrive at the FIFA Club World Cup. Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
“You say he’s receiving a lot of scrutiny. I don’t think Cole really looks at that and us as teammates aren’t really looking at that. He performs at a very high level every time he steps on the pitch. So our job is not just to help Cole Palmer but every single player on the pitch perform as well as they can.”
Tosin, 27, is one of the more senior members of the squad having been in the same Manchester City youth team as Palmer and Liam Delap before spending four years at Fulham prior to moving to Stamford Bridge last summer.
“I think wherever I’ve been I’ve always been one of the leaders in the team,” said Tosin. “Every single team that I’ve played for. But to be one of the eldest is a different feeling and it’s something I take on.
“I’ve experienced more than pretty much the whole squad. Obviously there’s been guys that have experienced a bit more than me — Enzo [Fernandez] being a World Cup winner [with Argentina in 2022], Cole, being a treble winner [with City in 2022-23]. But in whatever way I can, I try to help the boys.”
