Chelsea have officially confirmed that Cole Palmer will wear the No.10 shirt for the upcoming 2025/26 season — a decision that comes with both excitement and controversy.

The club’s announcement not only highlights Palmer’s rise within the squad but also makes a statement by completely omitting any mention of the previous wearer, Mykhailo Mudryk.

In a statement released on Friday, Chelsea declared:
“Chelsea can confirm Cole Palmer will move to the No.10 shirt ahead of our 2025/26 campaign, starting from the FIFA Club World Cup.

“Palmer, who has worn the No.20 shirt since signing from Manchester City in September 2023, will make the switch ahead of our participation in the US-based tournament and could wear 10 for the first time when the Blues face Los Angeles FC in Atlanta on June 16.

“Supporters are reminded that the full list of squad numbers for the 2025/26 season will be finalised once the summer transfer window has shut.

“They remain subject to change until that point.”

The statement is clear and concise, celebrating Palmer’s progression but making no reference to Mudryk, who wore the No.10 shirt during the 2024/25 season. This omission is notable — and telling. Typically, when a jersey number is reassigned, especially one as symbolic as the No.10, clubs acknowledge the previous holder out of respect. Chelsea’s silence on Mudryk suggests a shift in the club’s hierarchy and perhaps a sign of what’s to come in the transfer window.

Palmer, meanwhile, fully deserves the honour. After a breakout campaign that saw him become Chelsea’s top scorer and creative hub, the switch to No.10 cements his status as a central figure in Enzo Maresca’s plans going forward. Wearing the number made famous by the likes of Eden Hazard and Joe Cole, Palmer now carries the weight of expectation — and opportunity.

Mudryk has not featured for Chelsea since November, after he tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. He has been serving a suspension since last year, and no one can predict the outcome so far.

However, Chelsea will not easily give up on the forward that they brought over for a whopping £89m from Shakhtar Donetsk in January of 2023.

According to the Daily Mail, Mudryk “is expected to be assigned a new shirt number ahead of the start of next season.”