Since his grand entrance from Manchester City last summer for a whopping £42.5 million, Palmer has been nothing short of a sensation at Stamford Bridge.
Under the astute guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, Palmer swiftly rose as the club’s attacking linchpin, tallying an impressive 26 goals and 13 assists in 45 appearances across various competitions.
Of those, 21 goals were netted in the Premier League, where only his former Manchester City colleague Erling Haaland sits ahead in the Golden Boot chase, thanks to his four-goal haul in City’s recent 5-1 thrashing of Wolves.
Palmer’s meteoric rise didn’t stop at club level. He clinched his maiden two senior caps for England this season, setting him on a clear path to Gareth Southgate’s squad for the European Championship in Germany.
In recognition of his electrifying debut, the 22-year-old scooped up Chelsea’s Men’s Player of the Season accolade during a glitzy ceremony at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.
His teammates also honoured him with the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year title.
On the women’s front, Jess Carter earned the Women’s Players’ Player of the Year, while Lauren James secured the overall Women’s Player of the Year.
The Men’s Academy Player of the Year was bestowed upon Alfie Gilchrist for his remarkable breakthrough under Pochettino, while Katie Cox claimed the Women’s Academy Player of the Year.
Conor Gallagher and Zecira Musovic jointly received the PFA Community Champions award, with Musovic adding the AllBright Award to her collection.
In a poignant moment, Chelsea bid farewell to Emma Hayes, the departing women’s team boss, who will depart after a glorious 12-year tenure to helm the United States Women’s National Team.
Hayes’ illustrious reign, marked by six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups, was immortalized with a new addition to the wall of legends outside the Shed End at Stamford Bridge.
Source:
Chelsea