Cole Palmer, a rising star at Chelsea, has shared the reason he chose to wear the club’s number 10 shirt. He said it was a way to honour some of the footballers he admired growing up, including Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney.

When Palmer first arrived at Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, he wore the number 20 shirt. However, things changed recently.

He showed off his new shirt number on Monday, when Chelsea played against Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup. The team won the match 2-0, and it was the first time Palmer wore the number 10 jersey.

Speaking about his decision, Palmer mentioned that players like Messi and Rooney had always inspired him. He also said he had worn the number 10 during his younger years, calling it a special and iconic number in football.

The shirt was previously worn by Mykhailo Mudryk, but Palmer has now taken over the number. This comes at a time when Mudryk is facing serious issues off the pitch.

Reports say Mudryk may be banned from football for four years after failing a drug test. This development has left many fans shocked.

Palmer also said that he hasn’t spoken to Mudryk yet about taking over his shirt number, but he plans to reach out to him when the time feels right.