West Ham agreed deal to sign Cole Palmer from Man City before Chelsea swooped from under their noses
WEST HAM almost signed Cole Palmer in a sensational coup but Chelsea poached him at the last minute.
Palmer was desperate to leave the Etihad in search of first-team opportunities after struggling for regular minutes.
He ultimately joined the Blues in a move which has been a massive hit for player and club.
But SunSport columnist Karren Brady has revealed that Palmer, 21, almost ended up on the other side of London.
On why Pep Guardiola decided to allow the starlet to leave, Brady wrote: "Financial rules on allowable losses may have played a part in the decision but, still, from all the newsreels I have seen, Cole is as cool a dude in front of goal as Jimmy Greaves himself.
"Which is probably why David Moyes tried very hard to sign him. We even had a deal agreed with City until Chelsea swooped."
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Hammers boss Moyes will be cursing his luck after seeing Palmer hit the ground running.
The whizkid scored a sensational first-half hat-trick against Everton earlier this week to take his tally to twenty league goals for the season.
And Brady believes Palmer may have made the difference in City's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid.
She said: "Pep Guardiola was certain Cole Palmer would be a star for Manchester City yet allowed him to go to Chelsea for about £40million.
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
";On the evidence of 20 goals this season, three of them of Greaves-like quality on Monday, you might expect that Guardiola is kicking himself.
"City’s lack of a finisher against Real Madrid may have underlined his regret but I’d back Pep every time.
"And his explanation that he let Palmer leave because he would not guarantee him regular first-team football is a selfless act, both rare and generous.
"And it is bound to help Chelsea be a major rival over the next few seasons."
Guardiola will be hoping he does not come to rue his decision as he takes on Palmer and Chelsea in this afternoon's FA Cup semi-final showdown.
Chelsea's penalty chaos
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has been tearing his hair out watching Chelsea's stars fight over penalties again and again. Here are all their spot kick lowlights
- CHELSEA 2-2 ARSENAL (23rd October, 2023)
GOAL Raheem Sterling immediately picks up the ball to take Chelsea's spot kick before Cole Palmer approaches. Enzo Fernandez intervenes to give the ball to Palmer, who sends David Raya the wrong way to score. - CHELSEA 4 LEICESTER CITY 2 (17th March, 2024)
MISS Raheem Sterling wins a penalty and this time is handed the ball by Palmer. However, he fires it down the middle and sees his kick comfortably saved. Leicester later recover to 2-2 from 2-0 down and Sterling is booed every time he touches the ball by a section of the home crowd. - CHELSEA 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (4th April, 2024)
GOAL Noni Madueke makes an audacious attempt to take the ball off Palmer after winning a 98th minute penalty with the Blues 3-2 down but is pulled away by Trevoh Chalobah. Palmer sends Andre Onana the wrong way before scoring a winner two minutes later. - CHELSEA 6 EVERTON 0 (15th April, 2024)
GOAL Madueke picks up the ball immediately after Chelsea are awarded a penalty at 4-0 up, but a furious Nicolas Jackson rushes in wanting to take the kick and shoves the winger. Captain Conor Gallagher has to intervene to give the ball to Palmer, who scores. Pochettino blasts his team's behaviour as "like being at school".