Chelsea star Cole Palmer can be as good as Kylian Mbappe, according to former Blues winger Florent Malouda.
Palmer, 21, has been a stand-out performer for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season following his move from Manchester City.
And Malouda believes Palmer’s talent is comparable to that of French superstar Mbappe.
He told Gambling Zone: “I think that what Palmer has shown this season is the same ability that Mbappe showed when he first burst onto the scene at Monaco.
“Cole is a little bit older than Kylian was when he broke through, but in terms of his decision making, his calmness and his ability, he reminds me of Mbappe. That tells you everything about his potential and how far he could go.”
Chelsea have endured a disappointing campaign despite making a number of big-money signings since the Todd Boehly-led group took control at Stamford Bridge.
But the purchase of Palmer has undoubtedly paid off and Malouda says the club should build the team around the young forward.
He said: “Chelsea should be planning to build around Palmer for years to come.
“We haven’t had a player at Chelsea that the team should be built around in a long time. Every week, Palmer is so reliable. You know exactly what he will give you. I think that is the way forward and that Cole Palmer is the future of Chelsea.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing him perform in the national team because you can see he has this confidence in his own ability, he is ambitious, and he has his own style.
“He is a unique player. You can’t compare him to anyone else.”