Rovers have continued their summer business ahead of the start of their Championship campaign against Ipswich Town, with the addition of Chelsea’s 21-year old attacking midfielder, Kasey Palmer, on a season-long loan deal.
Palmer, who is highly regarded at Stamford Bridge, by staff and fans alike, comes to Ewood Park with a lot of experience in the second tier of English football, having played a vital part in Huddersfield Town’s surprise promotion to the Premier League, 2 years ago, including a goal in a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park, which saw the Terriers take the lead inside 6 minutes, before a Danny Graham penalty levelled the scoring.
In addition to his promotion winning campaign, the 21-year old, spent the second-half of last season at Derby County, as he tried to give Derby a similar boost as they looked to gain promotion, via the playoffs, however his influence was only restricted to 16 games as the Rams crashed out to the eventual winners, Fulham.
Palmer, who will wear the number 45 at Ewood Park, despite standing at 5’9”, stood out during Huddersfield Town’s promotion campaign, due to his strength, pace and ability to hold players off as he made runs forward with the ball. His strength and power could be key for Rovers as it would allow willing runners, such as Dack and Graham to find the space they need in order to finish an opportunity.
With Rovers having a lot of Championship experience within their ranks, with only playmaker Bradley Dack being the only first-team player, yet to play in the competition, the addition of the skilful, yet powerful Palmer, will offer Rovers a different attacking outlet, due to his ability to play on the wing, as well as centrally.
Whilst his club career’s success provides no question of his ability, Palmer’s international career also portrays a winning mentality. Prior to his achievements with Huddersfield Town, Palmer was part of the England under-21 side crowned champions of the Toulon Tournament in 2016, alongside the likes of former Rover, Matt Grimes, as well as full internationals like James Ward-Prowse, Nathan Redmond and Calum Chambers.
After making the switch to Ewood Park, the clubs’ media team caught up with the Chelsea loanee as he offered his thoughts on the move.
“Once I was told of Rovers’ interest in me, I just wanted to get the deal signed and get here as quickly as possible in order to meet everyone and start training. I want to be part of something exciting in the Championship this season, and I believe that I can achieve that ‘exciting something’ here at Blackburn Rovers. This is a club heading in the right direction and I got that sense as soon as I spoke with the manager. His playstyle fits mine and after hearing his ambitions, I couldn’t wait to sign the deal. I watched the matches that were on Sky and I also spoke to Jack Payne, who is a good friend of mine, and he couldn’t say a bad word about the place. My focus now, is to bring my experience of playing in the league to the lads, but I’m also willing to learn off the experience that’s already here. It’s a good team full of confidence from last year’s promotion and hopefully with my knowledge of the Championship, I can add to the quality that’s already on show, here.”
With Palmer’s thoughts documented, the media department then turned their attentions to manager, Tony Mowbray, who spoke highly of the 21-year old.
“Kasey is a player I have liked for a while, and I’m delighted to have finally got him as my player. The deal took time due to Chelsea’s commitments abroad, but I’m pleased he’s here. He’s a player who will help us going forwards with his creativity, ability and speed. He’s not had a lot of game time with Chelsea since the start of pre-season, so we’ll have to get him up to speed quickly, but I’m sure he’ll adapt to the squad and our way of playing. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can bring to us on the field, but also to the group as an individual. He’s somebody who knows this league well, having played at the top end with Huddersfield and Derby, so hopefully he can use his experience to help us get there. He can play anywhere at the top end of the field, and with the loss of Adam Armstrong, Jack Payne, Harry Chapman and Marcus Antonsson, I’ve had to find a way to reduce the pressure off Bradley (Dack), Danny (Graham) and Dominic (Samuel) and I’m sure Kasey will not only get amongst the goals, but provide the ammunition for whoever is picked to play up top for us throughout the campaign.”
