The unexpected transfer of Cole Palmer from Manchester City to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 has turned out to be a resounding success, as Palmer has transformed himself into a Premier League superstar. His sensational performance, including a stunning poker against Everton on Monday night, has propelled him to the same goal-scoring level as Erling Haaland in the Premier League with 20 goals, not to mention the 9 assists this right-winger has contributed.
Palmer’s on par with Haaland in the Golden Boot race
Considering assists, Palmer has been directly involved in 29 goals for Chelsea since the beginning of the season. In this Premier League campaign, only Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa matches that tally, but Watkins has fewer goals. Thus, Palmer could end the season not only as the Golden Boot winner but also as the player involved in the most goal-scoring situations.
However, what’s even more noteworthy is the 21-year-old’s potential to clinch a hat-trick of individual awards. He’s just the right age to contend for the PFA Young Player of the Year, as voted by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), yet his stellar performance also puts him in the running for both the Player of the Year and the Golden Boot.
Most pundits in England believe that the PFA Young Player of the Year is firmly in Palmer’s grasp, as his competitors such as Joao Pedro, Alejandro Garnacho, Jarred Branthwaite, Conor Bradley, Kobbie Mainoo, or Destiny Udogie have not made a significant impact to challenge him. Only Bukayo Saka of Arsenal—the current holder of the award—could potentially rival Palmer, but Saka’s recent form has dipped.
Saka is seen as the only player capable of challenging Palmer for the PFA Young Player of the Year
The competition for the Player of the Year will undoubtedly be tougher, with contenders like Declan Rice, Rodri, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Saka, and Watkins all having credentials to vie for the accolade. However, among the nominees, perhaps none carry their team’s burden quite like Palmer, whose goals account for 33% of Chelsea’s total (only Dominic Solanke of Bournemouth has a higher ratio at 36%).
In the history of the PFA awards, the outcome is often determined by players’ votes, so whether Palmer wins or not might not solely depend on his performance. Nevertheless, Palmer could feasibly contend for both awards alongside his goal-scoring ambitions. And if he secures a hat-trick of individual honors, he’ll join a select group of players who’ve achieved such a feat.
Since the inception of the PFA awards, only two players have won this hat-trick of awards. Gray was the first to achieve this feat in the 1976/77 season with Aston Villa but had to share the Golden Boot with Malcolm Macdonald of Arsenal.
The second is Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2007/08 season with Manchester United, a campaign that also saw him claim the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo that season won both the PFA Player of the Year and the Golden Boot with 31 goals.
Ronaldo is the closest player to achieving both the Premier League Golden Boot and the top two PFA awards, and in English football history, CR7 is the only player to achieve this feat without sharing the Golden Boot with anyone.
Gareth Bale in the 2012/13 season is another case who won both PFA awards in the same season. However, unlike Andy Gray and Cristiano Ronaldo, he did not win the Golden Boot as Robin Van Persie of Manchester United won it with 26 goals.
Some other players have won both the PFA Player of the Year and the Golden Boot, but failed to win the PFA Young Player of the Year, although they were eligible. Erling Haaland falls into this category, as last season the voters opted for Saka.
Even if Chelsea’s season concludes without prospects for major trophies or finishing in the European Cup places, Cole Palmer still has personal motivation to aim for the three most prestigious awards in English football and match the likes of Ronaldo. So, don’t bet against Palmer achieving this remarkable feat at this stage.
