Why we signed Cole Palmer – Chelsea boss Pochettino

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said new signing Cole Palmer fits perfectly into the Blues’ “project” to invest heavily in young players after joining from Manchester City on Friday in a deal worth an initial £40 million ($50 million).

Palmer has agreed a seven-year contract with Chelsea, who have a club option of a further 12-month extension, and could pay City an extra £2.5 million in add-on clauses.

City were keen to keep Palmer, but the size of Chelsea’s offer eventually persuaded them to cash in on a rising star who was keen for more regular first-team opportunities.

The 21-year-old’s arrival takes Chelsea’s spending on players to over £1 billion in little over a year since a consortium fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly took control of the club.

Much of that has been spent on tying down highly-rated prospects to lengthy contracts as Boehly bets on beating the market in the long run.

“I think he’s a fit for the project,” said Pochettino. “He’s a young, talented player. He decided to come because he expects to play maybe more and be important here.

“But that’s not the most important thing. The most important is that he sees Chelsea as a project for him, and to improve his game, and to be more involved every single game.

“The quality is there, there is great potential. Now he needs to settle here and prove and show that he’s better than his teammates and that he deserves to play. He has to fight for his place.”