Pep Guardiola has revealed former Manchester City star Cole Palmer ‘asked him to leave the club for ‘two seasons’ before he finally made the move to Chelsea in the summer.

The 21-year-old is enjoying a sensational debut season at Stamford Bridge, with Palmer rising to the top of the Premier League top-scorers chart, having found the back of the net 20 times this season.

On Monday, he would score four times, to score his second hat-trick of the 2023-24 campaign, earning the plaudits from many from within the world of football, including his former manager.

But in his press conference ahead of City’s FA Cup semi-final agaisnt Chelsea, Guardiola had tried to convince Palmer to to stay despite the midfielder asking on multiple occasions to leave the club.

The City boss said: ‘He was asking for two seasons to leave Man City. I said: “Stay.” He wanted to leave. What can we do?!’

During his last season at Manchester City

‘He’s an exceptional player with super potential… I didn’t give him the minutes he deserves that he now has at Chelsea.’