"He’s the Jack Grealish, James Maddison type"- Joe Cole showers praise on 'top' Chelsea summer signing

Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole has praised Cole Palmer, comparing the young playmaker to Jack Grealish and James Maddison.

The aforementioned English trio can all play as a No. 10 as well as out wide. Palmer, 21, was signed by Chelsea from Manchester City for £45 million this summer.

Palmer, who has been at City since 2009, started the season in fine form, scoring in the Community Shield loss against Arsenal and the UEFA Super Cup win against Sevilla. However, despite Riyad Mahrez's move to Saudi Arabia, it seemed that he would struggle for playing time under Pep Guardiola.

Moreover, City also signed Jeremy Doku to provide depth on the wings. Palmer has two league appearances as a second-half substitute for the Blues but is yet to make an impact.

Cole, though, believes the Chelsea new boy has similarities to Manchester City's Jack Grealish and Tottenham Hotspur's summer signing James Maddison. He told TNT Sports, via Football.London:

"He’s the Jack Grealish, James Maddison type. He’s got lovely balance, a lovely left foot.

"I’ve watched him mainly playing off the right, coming in on his left foot. But he could play as a 10. He can float anywhere in the final third, but he’s just a player that makes an impact. He’s a top, top player."

Palmer, like other new signings in the Todd Boehly era, has penned a long-term deal at Stamford Bridge (until 2028). It promises to be an intriguing journey observing Palmer's growth under Pochettino in west London.

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Chelsea set for crucial Aston Villa clash in Premier League

An injury-hit, out-of-form Chelsea host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday (September 24).

The Blues' poor run from last season has continued under Pochettino, as they sit 14th in the table with five points from as many games. The Villans, meanwhile, are four points and seven places better off.

To exacerbate matters, 'Poch' is missing many key players due to injury. While Benoit Badiashila and Armando Broja have returned to first-team training, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka remain sidelined, though.

This fixture, more often than not, provides a winner at the end of the 90 minutes. Just one of their last 20 meetings across competitions have ended in a draw, with the Blues winning 15 times.