'Little superstar' - Cole Palmer hailed by Chelsea team-mate who is backing England international to shine under increasing pressure of expectation as Blues talisman

As Palmer continues his rapid rise, his profile has reached new heights with his face featured prominently across the United States to help promote the ongoing Club World Cup. With Chelsea's aspirations for silverware growing, the pressure is on for Palmer to deliver once again. Despite that weight, Tosin Adarabioyo has no doubts about Palmer’s mettle and backed him to flourish on the global stage.

Palmer and Adarabioyo share a longstanding friendship dating back to their days at Manchester City’s youth setup.

“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," he said.

"Yeah, obviously his life has changed in the past two years. I banter with 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."

He added, "People say he's receiving a lot of scrutiny. I don't think Cole really looks at that, and us as teammates aren't really looking at that. He performs at a very high level every time he steps on the pitch.”

Though many might view Adarabioyo as a mentor figure to Palmer, he insists their dynamic is one of mutual respect rather than hierarchy.

Adarabioyo said: “Yeah, that's my boy. I definitely wouldn't say a mentor. He's a top, top player who doesn't need advice from me to know what he has to do, but I'm there whenever he needs me. I think I settled very quickly when I came and took on that leadership role to try and help the boys whenever I can.

"We have a fair few, we have a lot of boys who are willing to lead the group. We have our captain, Reece James, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer.”

Palmer may not have matched his highest statistical season in terms of goals last year, finishing with 15 goals, but his contribution was vital in helping Chelsea qualify for the Champions League and clinch the UEFA Conference League title. His growing influence has now been rewarded with the club’s iconic No.10 jersey, a symbol of both trust and expectation.

The Round of 16 fixture against Benfica in the Club World Cup will be a true test of both his form and composure, especially as the world watches Chelsea’s poster boy try to lead them to international silverware.