Cole Palmer reveals Lionel Messi & Wayne Rooney inspiration as Chelsea superstar takes iconic No.10 shirt from banned Mykhailo Mudryk

WHAT HAPPENED?

That jersey has been worn at Stamford Bridge down the years by the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Peter Osgood, Mark Hughes, Joe Cole, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Willian and Christian Pulisic.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

It has now been passed to Palmer, with the England international inheriting said shirt from club colleague Mykhailo Mudryk - who is facing an uncertain future after seeing the FA charge him with a doping offence relating to a failed drugs test.

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WHAT PALMER SAID

Palmer is delighted to have received a favoured number, saying of those that have acted as role models in his bid to become a superstar 10 in his own right: "Messi, the big one, Rooney and players like that. It's just an iconic number. I wore No.10 all my life growing up and I just like the number."

He added on stepping into Mudryk’s shoes: "I have not spoken to Misha yet but I will when the time is right. It is not really my place to get involved with him at the minute. I will speak to him."

DID YOU KNOW?

The expectation of being Chelsea’s key creative influence will not weigh on Palmer’s shoulders, with the relaxed 23-year-old saying of the pressure that he finds himself performing under: "I still do the same things now that I did before I came to Chelsea.

"I try and think it's just a game of football at the end of the day, like it's not life or death. So I just try and enjoy it. I like to go and play five-side and go to the astro and just do normal things."

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WHAT NEXT?

Palmer is in the running for the 2024-25 PFA Player of the Year award, having helped Chelsea to Champions League qualification and Conference League glory, while his focus is currently locked on the Blues’ bid to claim the FIFA Club World Cup crown.