Cole Palmer's blunt five-word message to Man City group chat after sealing Chelsea move

Cole Palmer issued a brutally short farewell to his Manchester City team-mates ahead of his move to Chelsea.

The England forward came through the ranks at the City before breaking into Pep Guardiola's first-team. But after making just 14 seniors appearances, he was reluctantly allowed to leave the Etihad for a deal worth £40million, which now looks a snip given his form for club and country over the last 18 months.

The signing ended a transfer saga that Palmer was eager to resolve. He even asked the City kitman during training if the clubs had agreed to a fee.

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Speaking in an interview with GQ, Palmer recalled: “I remember training on a Wednesday at City in the afternoon, and the news was, ‘They’re trying to agree a fee’. Every time the ball went out I’d ask the kitman or the doctor if they’ve agreed the fee yet.”

By the time the deal was sealed, most people had left the training ground. Palmer added: “So I didn’t really get a chance to see many people and say, 'I’m going.' I just had to get my stuff.”

He then sent a simple five-word message to his now ex-City team-mates. He revealed: “I messaged the group chat, said, ‘Thanks and everything. I’m gone’. That was it.”

Having been at City since the age of seven, Palmer was initially reluctant to head south and had requested a loan move. He said: “I wasn’t even gonna go [to] Chelsea. I got persuaded [by his manager].”

Knowing he wouldn’t be getting the first-team football he craved at City made the decision easier. Palmer explained: “I just knew I wasn’t going to play as much as I wanted to.

“Even when I was going to England [camps] with younger age groups, you had players there who were playing in the league every week. And you’re looking around thinking, I can play in the league. When you’re not playing, it’s annoying.”