Cole Palmer has named Tosin Adarabioyo as the teammate he is currently closest to at Chelsea, highlighting the natural bond they've developed since becoming teammates at Stamford Bridge. Tosin, who joined the Blues last season, has quickly forged a close friendship with Palmer, as the two are often seen together sharing moments of camaraderie.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Cole Palmer spoke about his relationship with Tosin Adarabioyo, insisting that they are inseparable. He said (via Sporting News):
"We know the same people and he’s just similar to me. So we’ve got on really well ever since he’s been at Chelsea. And now you can’t separate us."
Interestingly, both Palmer and Adarabioyo are products of Manchester City’s youth academy, which explains their familiarity. After Chelsea defeated Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final, Palmer teased Tosin in a press conference, saying the defender wanted the ‘player of the tournament’ award. He asked:
"Can I ask a question, who gives Player of the Tournament out for the competition?"
After he was told that the UEFA technical observers panel gives the award, the English international requested:
"Can someone tell him Tosin wants it?"
Palmer’s comments left everyone in stitches, including Adarabioyo, who was sitting next to him. Palmer joined Chelsea in 2023 and enjoyed a breakout season in his maiden campaign with the west London Club, scoring 25 goals and providing 15 assists in 45 appearances across competitions.
He most recently turned heads in the FIFA Club World Cup final, where he scored a brace and grabbed an assist against Paris Saint-Germain as Chelsea secured a 3-0 victory.
“I think people do forget that he's still 22” – Cole Palmer received backing from closest Chelsea teammate amid struggles
During the Club World Cup, Tosin Adarabioyo leapt to the defense of Cole Palmer amid the criticism the latter had received over a dip in form.
Adarabioyo told the media ahead of the Blues’ round of 16 clash against Benfica (via ESPN):
"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 teammates 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."
To date, Cole Palmer and Tosin Adarabioyo have shared the pitch 31 times.