Manchester City’s next top talent is unquestionably Cole Palmer. The young English midfielder has already made a big name for himself with City fans and many believe that, along with Phil Foden, he is the future of the club – and that the future looks bright.
The 20-year-old started making an impact on the fanbase after a couple of explosive seasons in the reserves. For the under-21s he was scoring close to a goal a game and he contributed with a hatful of assists at the same time. This, combined with his professional attitude, was enough for Pep Guardiola’s approval and he was soon given a first-team debut.
Since then, he has made 28 appearances for City's first team, and scored on his Champions League debut, in a 5-1 demolition of Club Brugge. The youngster has mostly made his appearances off the bench, but he has done enough to impress the boss and solidify himself as a first-team squad member, having earned permanent promotion from the youth squad.
READ MORE: Guardiola tells Phillips what he has to do at Man City amid frustrations
While Palmer has been playing well when given his chance, some may think that it would be beneficial for the youngster to experience more playing time at a high level. Just 15 appearances for the Englishman may not be enough for the player to reach his enormous potential, especially as a handful of those are substitutions late on in the game.
As a versatile player, who can play on the wings and in the middle of the park, he does fit into Pep’s ideology. However, the City boss has a long list of players who are currently at the top of their games and performing well in those positions so it may be difficult for Palmer to get more chances. City also find themselves in a tough title fight this season, which may make chances even more scarce.
Palmer has shown his quality many times this season - his ball control, creativity and a talent for playmaking. It may be time for the player to show those qualities week in, week out and the best way to do that as a young footballer is by going on loan.
There have been plenty of examples of young midfielders improving on loan; James Garner, Mason Mount and even Amad Diallo have all drastically improved while out on loan.
In the case of Mason Mount, his loan spell at Derby was massively successful. Under Frank Lampard, he flourished as an attacking midfielder, scoring eight goals and contributing five assists in his campaign. He helped guide Derby to the play-offs and ultimately, landed himself a position in the Chelsea starting XI because of his performances. With the right club, Palmer could do the same.
Constant game time allows players to constantly develop their skills and a loan in the Championship is notoriously good at improving a player’s physicality. The second division is constantly used by loaning clubs to prepare young players for the intensity of the Premier League.
While the constant teaching and tutelage from a legend like Pep Guardiola would be beneficial for a player like Palmer, he still may need to start playing more football to make himself a cog in Pep’s title-winning machine. The January window is open and for Cole Palmer, the second half of the season may be better spent elsewhere.
READ NEXT
