Chelsea have confirmed Cole Palmer will wear the club’s No. 10 shirt next season.
Palmer was given the 20 shirt when he joined from Manchester City in the summer of 2023. There was not believed to be any specific reason behind his choice, having worn 80 following his senior breakthrough at the Etihad Stadium.
As the new season begins with this summer’s Club World Cup, Chelsea have now confirmed Palmer will don the 10 shirt from this point onwards.
Interestingly, the 10 was not vacant before Palmer’s switch. It was worn by Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who remains suspended pending the results of an investigation into a failed doping test. Mudryk has not played since November but was present for the Conference League final victory over Real Betis.
The History of Chelsea’s 10 Shirt
Mudryk took the 10 ahead of the 2023–24 season, having initially worn 15 during his previous six months at the club. He assumed ownership of the number from Christian Pulisic, who departed for AC Milan that summer.
The shirt belonged to Willian in the 2019–20 season but is famously associated with Eden Hazard, who donned it between 2014 and his departure five years later. The Belgian is widely hailed as one of the greatest players in Chelsea history and there will be obvious comparisons made with Palmer, the team’s current talisman.
Juan Mata and Joe Cole are among the biggest names to have worn 10 in the 21st century, while famous figures such as Ray Wilkins, Kerry Dixon, Charlie Cooke, John Hollins, Peter Osgood, Ron Harris and Bobby Tambling have all spent time with the shirt.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cole Palmer Handed Prestigious Chelsea Shirt Number for 2025–26 Season.
