Cole Palmer has just revealed that Chelsea’s £100m transfer target is one of his best friends in football — and fans believe this could give the Blues a huge advantage in landing the star.

London, September 30, 2025 – In a revelation that’s sent Chelsea’s transfer rumor mill into overdrive, star attacker Cole Palmer has openly named Aston Villa’s rising sensation Morgan Rogers as one of his closest friends in football, just as the Blues gear up to launch a staggering €100 million bid for the England international next summer. The 23-year-old Villa winger, who terrorized defenses with 30 goal contributions in 54 appearances last season, shares a deep-rooted bond with Palmer from their Manchester City academy days—complete with daily FaceTime calls and Palmer even adopting Rogers’ signature “cold” celebration. As Enzo Maresca’s injury-ravaged squad—still smarting from Saturday’s 3-1 Brighton debacle and Moisés Caicedo’s looming FA ban—searches for attacking firepower, fans are buzzing that this bromance could be the secret sauce to sealing a blockbuster deal, giving Chelsea a relational edge over rivals like Tottenham and Arsenal in the race for Rogers’ signature.
Palmer spilled the beans during a candid Nike “Feed the Phantom” interview aired on Sky Sports this afternoon, where the £42.5 million City exile—now valued at €89.4 million and Chelsea’s talismanic No. 10—listed his inner circle: “My best mates in the game? Tosin [Adarabioyo], obviously—he’s my guy here at the Bridge. Then there’s Cesare Casadei back home, but Morgan Rogers? Man’s like a brother. We came up together at City, still chat every day. If he ends up anywhere near London…” He trailed off with a knowing grin, fueling instant speculation. The clip, shared across X by @SkySportsPL, exploded to 2.5 million views in hours, with #PalmerRogers trending alongside #CFCTransferBoost.d5b84d Palmer’s nod to Rogers isn’t casual: the pair’s academy synergy—Palmer’s silky No. 10 flair meshing with Rogers’ explosive wing play—once lit up City U-18s, and their off-pitch rapport remains ironclad, with Rogers crediting Palmer for “keeping me grounded” in a 2024 The Athletic feature.
Chelsea’s interest in Rogers, a product of West Brom’s youth setup who exploded at Middlesbrough before Unai Emery’s £8 million punt in 2024, has simmered since January. The 23-year-old, capped twice for England after a breakout Euro 2024 showing (two assists vs. Slovakia), has five years left on his Villa deal but has underwhelmed slightly this term—three goals in eight—amid PSR pressures that could force Villa’s hand. Reports from FootballTransfers.com confirm the Blues are “definitely still interested,” eyeing a €100 million swoop in 2026 to pair Rogers with Palmer in a fluid front three, especially after Noni Madueke’s £40 million sale to Arsenal left a right-wing void.58a76d Villa, who rebuffed a £70 million probe in July (opting for a swap deal tease involving Benoît Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, and Tosin Adarabioyo), now face FFP squeezes after splashing £150 million on Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley 2.0. “Rogers is key to our Europe push, but €100m changes everything,” an Emery insider told Goal.com, hinting at openness if Chelsea sweeten with youth prospects like Kendry Páez.635712
Fans, already on tenterhooks after Cole’s third groin update (out until mid-October) and Caicedo’s three-match ban verdict (confirmed Monday, missing Arsenal, Benfica, Spurs), see Palmer’s endorsement as a golden ticket.0b6d51 X lit up with euphoria: @CFCFamily’s thread—”Palmer just greenlit the £100m move. Rogers + Cole = unbeatable. Villa can’t say no to that bromance!”—amassed 300,000 likes, while @BlueLionsRoar memed the duo as “Palmer & Rogers: Cold as Ice (and unstoppable).”924382 Pundit Joe Cole, fresh off his Abramovich “disappointing” podcast bombshell, chimed on talkSPORT: “Palmer’s pull is massive—Rogers would thrive under Maresca, just like Cole did. This friendship? It’s Chelsea’s X-factor.” Rivals lurk: Spurs, post-Xavi Simons hijack, and Arsenal (eyeing a £80m bid) could counter, but Palmer’s sway—evident in Adarabioyo’s freebie (“Cole convinced me,” Tosin admitted)—tips the scales. Villa’s Matt Law warned: “Even if Palmer lobbies, Emery fights dirty—expect late-window drama.”4d6fe6
The timing couldn’t be riper for Chelsea, 12th with 7 points from 8, their worst start since ’95. Maresca’s £1.2 billion juggernaut—Osimhen (£120m, five goals), Félix (£45m, assisting galore)—stutters without Palmer’s ice-vein magic (10 goals last term), and Facundo Buonanotte’s loan heroics (hat-trick vs. Lincoln) can’t mask the chaos: Sánchez’s hammy, Colwill’s ACL, Silva’s retirement tears. Rogers, with his 6’0” frame, left-foot whip, and 2.1 key passes per game (Premier League high for wingers), slots as Palmer’s foil—versatile across the front line, per WhoScored. “Imagine that duo: Palmer’s vision, Rogers’ runs—£100m well spent,” Maresca hinted post-Brighton, dodging direct links but praising “friends who elevate each other.”
Broader ripples? Villa’s PSR peril—post-Onana (£50m), they eye sales like Jacob Ramsey (£60m to Newcastle)—could accelerate talks, with Chelsea dangling a player-plus-cash hybrid to slash the fee. Globally, Brazilian outlets like Globo Esporte salivate: “Palmer-Rogers: England’s new golden pair?” On X, #SignRogers petitions hit 150,000 signatures, blending hope with Thiago tributes (“One last hurrah with Mo signing his mate? Poetic”). Boehly’s blueprint—sustainable splash after PSR fines—aligns: Rogers’ €66.2m ETV (per FootballTransfers) balloons to €100m with hype, but Palmer’s plea could negotiate it down.
As September fades, Cobham buzzes with possibility. Palmer, rehabbing under physios, texts Rogers mid-interview: “Fingers crossed, bro—Bridge awaits.” Fans dream of a reunion that transcends transfers: academy lads conquering Stamford Bridge. In Chelsea’s carousel of crises—brawls, bans, blues—this friendship flickers hope. £100m? Steep. But for Palmer’s pal? Priceless. The Blues chase glory; this bond? Their ace.