Ruud Gullit sends warning to Cole Palmer despite Chelsea star's incredible form

Chelsea icon Ruud Gullit has issued a stark warning to Cole Palmer after the young star's sensational impact at Stamford Bridge, cautioning that the real challenge lies ahead. Palmer, who made the switch from Manchester City in a £42.5million move, has been on fire for the Blues, netting an impressive 20 goals in just 28 Premier League appearances.

His goal-scoring prowess has seen him rise to share the top spot with Erling Haaland, especially after a stunning run of 10 goals in his last five outings. He was forced to sit out of their 5-0 drubbing against Arsenal through illness, Gullit highlighted that while Palmer's debut season numbers are remarkable, the true test will come in the following campaign when the pressure mounts.

«Palmer has fantastic numbers. He was a gift,» said the Dutch legend, acknowledging the youngster's immediate impact. «He's come in this first year and played all the games, which is great because I like to watch him.»

«I think he has huge potential, that's for sure. But he had a difficult time against Man City in the FA Cup semi-final. You forget he is still a kid. He is young and he's been huge for Chelsea this season but this is his honeymoon period.

»Let's see how he does after that. Let's see what happens next year because there will be real pressure [to deliver again]. The team as a whole has to improve a lot next year too."

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Despite Palmer being a notable acquisition, Chelsea's massive financial influx under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital that totals £1billion has not translated into success on the field as