Cole Palmer has said that he was “frustrated” by the lack of opportunities given to him by former England head coach Gareth Southgate during the country’s run to the final of Euro 2024 this summer, adding he felt he had to “force my way in.”
The Chelsea midfielder did not play in England’s first two matches of the tournament and was not named in the starting lineup for any of England’s seven matches at the tournament.
Palmer scored 25 goals in all competitions during his debut season for Chelsea in 2023-24 after joining from Manchester City.
“It was frustrating at England, to be fair,” Palmer told GQ. “Not to say that the players aren’t good. But just coming off the back of the season I had, the form I was in, everything I was doing was coming off … So I’m not playing in the first two games even when the team was struggling, it was a bit like ‘Why? Do you know what I mean?’ If you bring me on [in] the third game and I don’t do anything, then I can’t really say anything. I just had to try and force my way in.”
Palmer was utilised by Southgate as an impact substitute, a role in which he a role in which he assisted Ollie Watkins‘ dramatic late semifinal winner against Netherlands and scored in the final defeat to Spain.
“I remember Watkins coming on [in the final], and I was thinking ‘Why not me?'” Palmer said.
The 22-year-old joined Chelsea from City in a deal sources told ESPN was worth around £42.5 million on the last day of the summer transfer window in 2023. City boss Pep Guardiola said earlier this year that Palmer had been trying to leave the club “for two seasons” before he moved to Stamford Bridge.
“I just knew I wasn’t going to play as much as I wanted to, Palmer said. “Even when I was going to England [camps] with younger age groups, you had players there who were playing in the league every week. And you’re looking around thinking, I can play in the league. When you’re not playing, it’s annoying.”
Palmer was one of eight players who withdrew from interim coach Lee Carsley’s England squad with injuries for their Nations League fixtures this month.
Levi Colwill, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron Ramsdale and Declan Rice will also be unavailable for the matches against Greece and Republic of Ireland.
