Rogers and his new teammate Palmer share a long-standing bond that stretches back years — a connection that actually sparked Palmer’s now-iconic ‘cold’ goal ritual.
The midfielder debuted the gesture in December 2023 after netting twice during a 3-2 victory away at Luton.
He has since fully embraced the celebration as his own, even securing a trademark for it through the UK Intellectual Property Office.
Originally, however, it was conceived as a nod to Rogers, who had performed the celebration after scoring for Middlesbrough against West Brom.
The friendship between Rogers and Palmer began when they both made the switch from their local side West Brom to Manchester City. At just 16 years old, they soon shone together in attack as City’s under-18 team claimed the FA Youth Cup in 2020.
Palmer is far from the only familiar face awaiting Rogers at Stamford Bridge. He already knows Levi Colwill and Reece James from England camps, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap all progressed through City’s academy system.
That English core makes up a significant portion of the squad’s leadership group, alongside Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Still, the more pressing question is where Rogers fits into the tactical setup on the pitch, especially considering he and Palmer share a similar profile.
Rogers was picked ahead of Palmer by England manager Thomas Tuchel for this summer’s World Cup selection, but the pair’s adaptability means they can feature either together or interchangeably in the same role.
One insider indicates that Rogers will mainly be deployed on the left flank, with Palmer stationed in a central number 10 position. That scenario would see Estevao Willian, Pedro Neto and recent arrival Geovany Quenda battling for spots on the right, while Jamie Gittens serves as cover.
Chelsea are expected to use a back four at times during the upcoming campaign, though they are also examining a back-three setup — a system Alonso deployed with devastating results during his Bundesliga-winning season with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024.
That formation could allow both Palmer and Rogers to operate as dual number 10s, with wide players asked to fill deeper wing-back roles.
Chelsea endured a series of problems last term, one of which was a five-match scoreless streak under former head coach Liam Rosenior that ultimately cost him his job.
Rogers, who tallied 14 goals and 12 assists across 55 appearances last season, would bring additional attacking threat to the side.
Looking at the broader roster, and assuming winger Alejandro Garnacho departs as intended, Chelsea would have six attackers vying for three forward slots in a campaign without European commitments. Additionally, they carry five senior strikers — Joao Pedro, Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Emmanuel Emegha and Marc Guiu — in the squad.
Trimming the squad appears essential following last season’s 10th-place finish, especially given Chelsea can play a maximum of only 51 fixtures if they reach both domestic cup finals.
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