COLE PALMER has still not got to grips with the bumper-to-bumper London traffic he is dealing with compared to Manchester.
But he hopes his move to the capital with Chelsea will help him jump the queue of competition and take a short-cut to Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 finals squad.
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Given the way the 21-year-old attacker has settled into life at Stamford Bridge, gatecrashing the party for Germany next year seems very doable.
Palmer has wasted no time since arriving in West London, quickly becoming one of new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino’s shining lights.
It has earned him a maiden call-up to Gareth Southgate’s seniors to cap off a whirlwind few months for the Wythenshawe lad, who admitted he had barely been outside of Manchester prior to his switch down south.
Reflecting on a busy period which saw him clinch the Under-21 Euros crown in July, join Chelsea from Treble-winning City for an initial £40million and make the Three Lions squad for the first time, Palmer said: “It’s been crazy.
“The changes have happened so fast. From winning the Euros to signing for Chelsea, then getting called up here. I am excited for it all.
“It was a big move for me, I’d never been out of Manchester, not even on loan or anything like that, so to move down there on my own was a big thing.
“When I first went down there it was difficult, I was staying in a hotel but now I have settled in more and I’m enjoying it.”
Palmer certainly seems to have had no problems adjusting to his new environment, netting four goals in just nine Premier League matches for the Blues, all of those from the penalty spot.
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Asked what has been the biggest difference between his familiar surroundings of Manchester compared to the hubbub of London, he replied: “The most annoying thing has been the traffic. That’s the biggest thing for me.
“Everything else I am enjoying. It is hotter than Manchester as well.”
His latest Chelsea goal came against his old club City in Sunday’s classic, as Palmer coolly struck a 95th-minute spot-kick to snatch a point in a 4-4 draw for his new side.
He showed no nerves as he struck home from 12 yards, despite the pressure-cooker nature of the situation.
The irony is that Palmer does not even practise penalties and only took his first one for Chelsea, in last month’s 4-1 win at Burnley, as a spur-of-the-moment decision.
He explained: “It was just an in-game thing, really. The ball just came to me and I looked at Raz (Raheem Sterling) because he won it and then he said, ‘Take it’.
“Once I scored at Burnley, I just thought, ‘I’ll take them’.”
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Sterling was well aware of Palmer’s temperament, having played with him at City for a few years.
The 28-year-old has taken the whizkid under his wing since he arrived at Chelsea in the summer.
Palmer has called Sterling his “big brother” and thinks they have “natural chemistry”.
Asked if he ever feels pressure, the straight-talking Palmer replied: “Not really. I always try to feel relaxed and try to do my stuff on the pitch.”
Palmer looked the most relaxed man in the stadium as he shrugged in celebration after netting that leveller against his former side.
He added: “I spent 15 years at the club, I couldn’t really go and celebrate how I would celebrate a 95th-minute equaliser because it would have been disrespectful.
“So I just decided to shrug. I don’t know why.”
Despite his chilled-out persona, making his England debut in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta on Friday or away to North Macedonia on Monday would represent a major milestone for Palmer and his family.
Dad Jermaine has been the driving force behind his son’s rise, with the youngster claiming he “probably wouldn’t have been a footballer” without him, given the hours of practice they did together every night when Palmer was growing up.
Mum Janet has been there too, every step of the way. Though she would tell a young Cole to stop playing on the grass in the back garden for fear of him breaking something as he pretended to be Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and numerous other superstars.
He does not have to pretend any more and a stellar performance or two over the next week could prove pivotal in sneaking a place on the plane to Germany in a little over seven months’ time.
Palmer added: “When I make my debut it will be an amazing moment for me and my family if it does happen.
“But if it doesn’t happen, I am just happy to get a call-up and be here and try to show what I can do.
“I would love to go to the Euros but I’ve just got to play well at club level first. All the attackers are amazing players so there is a lot of competition.
“But hopefully I can just show what I can do.”
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