John Terry says he was stunned by what Cole Palmer did in Chelsea training | Football

John Terry said he was stunned to watch Cole Palmer win a recent bleep ‘by a mile’ on a recent visit to Chelsea’s training ground.

Palmer quickly established himself as Chelsea’s talisman following his £42.5 million move from Manchester City in 2023 and continues to be a pivotal figure in his second season at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca.

The 22-year-old has become renowned for his influence in Chelsea’s attack but Terry has revealed that the England international is one of the fittest players in Maresca’s squad.

The bleep test is widely used by Premier League clubs to determine the fitness levels of their players and Terry claims that he saw Palmer beat his Chelsea teammates during a recent trip to the club’s training ground.

‘He’s quite quick, you know,’ Terry told talkSPORT when asked about Palmer.

‘Also, I was at Chelsea the other day and they were doing a bleep test, he won it by a mile.

‘He was cruising, like people were dropping out and he was there right until the end.

‘In terms of fitness levels and the power, he looks quite skinny, but very strong. Takes the ball on the half-turn, really quick as well. Impossible to play against.’

The former Chelsea captain also reveals Palmer’s attacking intent in every situation sets him apart from rival players in the Premier League.

‘It seems to be too easy for him at times,’ Terry said.

‘He strolls through games a little bit but he’s so far ahead of everyone else in terms of the way he sees the game. He always plays that forward pass. He’s never looking for the simple one.

‘I think him and [Nicolas] Jackson have a really good relationship as well.

‘Nico likes to play on people’s shoulders, which a lot of strikers don’t do nowadays as well. But he’s just been phenomenal.

‘When you go to these games at the Bridge you can’t help but just watch and follow him. The ball’s at the other end of the pitch, and you’re just watching his movement.

‘He’s always on the half-turn, getting in little pockets. Lamps [Frank Lampard] and [Gianfranco] Zola used to find themselves in areas that you didn’t even know existed. He’s the same as well, but he turns and wants to drive at people and play forward, which I think is the key to it.’

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