Roberto Di Matteo: Cole Palmer reminds me of both Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard
Former Chelsea player and manager Roberto Di Matteo has told BetMGM that Cole Palmer’s skills remind him of both Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard.
Di Matteo managed both Hazard and Lampard during his time in charge at Stamford Bridge and compared Palmer to the Chelsea greats: “We can all see how good Cole [Palmer] is. The football aficionados can already see that he’s right at the top level but, if you want to become one of those players we talk about for years to come, you’ve got to do it season after season.
“The other thing is you need to win trophies. That will validate the quality you have and the impact you have on a team. Winning trophies gives you that status as a player and I don’t see any reason why Cole can’t do that.
“He reminds me a little bit of Eden Hazard in the way he glides across the pitch and finds those little pockets of space which makes it so hard for defenders. If he can have the impact Eden had for Chelsea, he’ll have an amazing career.
“His positional awareness is so advanced for someone that’s still so young and inexperienced. I see a lot of Frank Lampard in him too in that sense. He already knows what’s happening before the ball is passed to him – that’s a gift not many players have.
“We know Chelsea have spent a lot of money, but he must be the best signing by a mile under the new ownership. He’s had such a big impact on the team in a really short space of time.”
Chiesa is a ‘top, top player’
Di Matteo is one of many Italians to star in the Premier League and spoke about a recent addition to the English top flight in Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa.
The Italian international is a firm believer that Liverpool have one of his country’s best in their ranks, providing he can put his injury issues to bed.
“I really think Liverpool have a top, top player on their hands in [Federico] Chiesa,” Di Matteo said. “He’s got so many attributes that you need to do really well in the Premier League – he’s fast, he can go past a defender and he knows where the goal is.
“He doesn’t have a good injury record and that’s the big question mark with him. If he can get over those injuries and have a good run in the team, then Liverpool will reap the rewards because he’s a hell of a player.
“He’s one of the best in Italy, that’s for sure. I really hope he can stay fit just so everyone in England can see the talent he has.
“Liverpool was a great move for him and I do think he’ll be an asset for them in the second half of the season. They’ve got a lot of options at the top end of the pitch, but they’re still in all of the competitions so they’re going to need everyone to contribute.
“English fans haven’t seen the best of him yet, but I really like him and expect him to have a big impact.”