Cole Palmer has revealed he did not speak to Mykhailo Mudryk before taking the No10 shirt off him but plans to when they next meet.
Palmer has been Chelsea’s talisman in his first two seasons at the club and inherited the No10 shirt ahead of the Club World Cup, having previously worn No20.
The No10 jersey previously belonged to Ukraine international Mudryk, who is facing a potential ban of up to four years after the Football Association charged him on Wednesday with a doping offence following a positive drugs test.
Palmer described the No10 as was “iconic” when he spoke to reporters ahead of Chelsea’s second Club World Cup group game against Flamengo on Friday.
“I wore No10 all my life growing up and I just like the number,” he explained. “[Lionel] Messi the big one, [Wayne] Rooney and players like that — it’s an iconic number.
“I have not spoken to Misha [Mudryk] yet, but I will when the time is right. It is not really my place to get involved with him at the minute. I will speak to him.
”Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Flamengo match, Blues boss Enzo Maresca was asked whether he had a say in the transfer of the No10 shirt from Mudryk to Palmer.
“Was I involved in this decision? No, no, I don’t care about the numbers,” he said. “It’s a player matter. Is Cole good enough to wear the No10? Yes.”
