Chelsea starlet Palmer on his admiration for 'teacher' Messi and why he is loving life on loan

Lionel Messi fan, Chelsea loanee and current Huddersfield Town playmaker Kasey Palmer has given an extended look into his life in and out of football as he aims to make it in the professional game and, ultimately, perhaps one day at Stamford Bridge.

At Chelsea last season, Palmer has won the UEFA Youth League for the second year running while he also added a second consecutive FA Youth Cup. He has since embarked on his debut season in professional football under Jurgen Klopp's protege, David Wagner, at Huddersfield Town in the north of England.

Palmer has quickly established himself at the John Smith's Stadium and believes that he made a good decision by continuing the next stage of his development on loan in the Championship.

"The way they play, the style of play, how David sees me playing, that was crucial and made me believe that I will develop for the future," Palmer told 'Goal' at Huddersfield Town's training ground. 

"That was a big reason why I came here because the style of play and attractive football is what I have been used to in previous seasons. To do it in a men’s team will only be a positive and it will help my development increase even quicker - which made me excited to join. 

"I think to come and play in the Championship, for me, is a great experience and I can’t help but learn every day, being around experienced players. Also learning off the young players who are coming through here, the young players we have are brilliant and along with the experienced players like the skipper Dean Whitehead, you can only learn off the people who are here. 

"It has been a great experience so far, getting out on loan, meeting new people every day, new coaches, new staff so that can only be a positive to get out of academy football and into the real world of playing on a Saturday. I play in front of fans that really love the club with a passion.

"When I met the manager, the manager just said: 'It will be a similar style to what you are used to and I will try and get you playing in a number 10 role.' Then I try to learn off the senior pros that are here and try to get as many games as possible in men’s football.

"So far, I have got a lot of starts under my belt which I am proud of and I think as many starts as I can get in the rest of the season will be good for me".

Palmer has recorded three goals and three assists in his first 19 games for Huddersfield in the Championship so far this term.

Huddersfield's setup is similar to the first team environment at Chelsea in that they take player diets seriously, while their manager Wagner is known for his tough double training sessions, just like Blues boss Antonio Conte.

Palmer grew up as a Liverpool fan, despite being from Lewisham in London, and cited Steven Gerrard as his original boyhood hero, but has since grown up to develop a fascination with watching Barcelona Messi after training. 

"Gerrard was the main player that I looked up to [when I was young]," Palmer continued. "There were always other players too, like Owen and other Liverpool legends that did well for Liverpool when I was growing up.

"Today, I always watch Barcelona on television as I love the way they play. Messi, Neymar, Suarez so there are players like that which are where I aim to be, one day. So I never say that just because I am professional in the Championship, that I won’t watch other players and be impressed.

"My favourite player in the world now is Messi. Every time I watch Messi I study how he plays, how he moves with the ball and I think there is a lot of unbelievable talent in the world so there is a lot of players I watch for one specific aspect of their game.

"I like to watch football and learn. Even Championship players I play against, I look at aspects of their game and I get impressed." 

Chelsea signed Palmer from Charlton Athletic when he was at Under-16 level and count him as one of their brightest talents from their world renowned academy at Cobham Training Centre. He is proud of his development so far after starting as a striker in his local team in Lewisham.

"I started off at my local team, Lewisham Youth, they are a local team just five minutes away from my house and then went to Charlton from the Under-9 level [before joining Chelsea],” he added.

"Today, I am at Huddersfield thinking about how we can try and get the results which we were getting at the start of the season. If that takes us to the playoffs or automatic promotion then so be it.

"Ideally I would like to go back and play in Chelsea’s first team next season, but realistically it might not be as easy as playing for Huddersfield this season and going back and breaking into the first team straight away.”

"It could be a fact of going in and waiting a few seasons on loan for my chance, but I think that I have got to try and stay patient and do all I can when I am here, or while I am somewhere else if that is what happens next season.

"I have just got to try to be focused on myself and do as much I can, personally and hopefully Chelsea will see that and think that I deserve my opportunity. Huddersfield Town is my main target and if we can achieve as much for Huddersfield Town then it will help us all in our own individual ways." 

Chelsea have 38 players out on loan and provide their players with unrivalled support, from personal video analysis to visits from a psychologist, whether their young players move abroad or stay in England. 

Like many people in England, Palmer has noticed the difference between living in the north of England and the south but he appears to have adapted well and increased his focus to new levels in his new surroundings. 

"I knew Sean Scannell, he grew up in the same area as me," said Palmer. "Tareiq Holmes-Dennis was at Charlton Athletic with me, before I moved to Chelsea. To have two players here from South London helped me a lot.

"I have Aaron Mooy [on loan from Manchester City] and Danny Ward [on loan from Liverpool] we are all similar at the end of the day, we have similar sorts of targets to focus on Huddersfield Town.

"I try to get back to London if I ever have a day or a few days off. Up North is not as bad as I expected! I try to spend as much time here so it is easy living here and going home after training to relax instead of going home all the time.

"Being away from home is good because I can focus on my football and people don’t ask me to do too many little things prior to a match day. So I am more focused on football up here.

"I heard it was colder up North, and it is freezing, in only December, I am not looking forward to January! The people here are sometimes nicer than they are in London, in terms, of just little things like holding doors open.

"It is definitely very different to London, in general. I’ve not seen too much as I mainly just have time to train and then go home to relax after work".

Palmer is on focused on surviving the cold winter in the north of England while keeping Huddersfield in the hunt for promotion during a busy Christmas schedule. Meanwhile, Chelsea will be keeping watch over one of their most exciting prospects.