Cole Palmer's best friend! Chelsea star admits to leaning on Blues team-mate after tough year at Stamford Bridge

Palmer has admitted to enduring a challenging stretch in 2025, particularly after January, when his goal and assist tally dropped significantly. The Chelsea forward has now admitted that he leaned on Adarabioyo, a long-time friend and his former Manchester City academy teammate, for emotional and mental support during this time. Earlier this week, Palmer celebrated his Club World Cup quarter-final goal against Palmeiras by running straight to Adarabioyo in a show of appreciation.

Speaking to the media, Palmer said: “I've had a difficult time these past whatever months on and off the pitch, but he's always been there for me. He's helped me a lot.”

Adarabioyo responded: "I've known Cole since he was a young boy so even me seeing him on those big banners makes me very, very proud. I think people do forget that he's still 22, 23 years of age and he's one of the faces of this tournament. Obviously his life has changed in the past two years.

"I banter him some time and tell him he's a little superstar. But yeah, he handles it very well. He knows his focus is brilliant on football. He loves playing football and that's Cole Palmer for you.

"You say he's receiving a lot of scrutiny. I don't think Cole really looks at that and us as team-mates aren't really looking at that. He performs at a very high level every time he steps on the pitch. So our job is not just to help Cole Palmer but every single player on the pitch perform as well as they can."

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Palmer burst onto the scene last season but struggled to maintain his red-hot form, especially as scrutiny around Chelsea’s inconsistent performances intensified. He still managed to shine in key moments, including the Europa Conference League final and recent Club World Cup fixtures. With added pressure as one of Chelsea’s young stars, Palmer’s ability to manage expectations has been a key talking point.

Chelsea take on Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-final on July 8, with a shot at their first international title under Enzo Maresca. Palmer, buoyed by renewed confidence and strong support, will be expected to lead the charge as the Blues aim to book their place in the final.