Palmer admitted this week that he is excited to play with his best friend Morgan Rogers after his £117m move from Aston Villa as the two reunite in West London.
After missing out on the World Cup squad, Palmer’s mood will be lifted with Rogers joining him under new manager Alonso who hopes to get the very best out the England duo.
The 24 year old came off the bench for Chelsea’s pre-season opener, a 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers, in which he grabbed an assist for Joao Pedro’s 85th-minute strike.
Alonso, speaking on Palmer’s happiness, the Spanish coach knows that Chelsea’s success relies on how the young midfielder is feeling throughout the season.
“My feeling is that he loves the game and he wants to enjoy it. Once he enjoys it, he shows it, he transmits it. So the proof is for him to enjoy his game and show his best level. He has shown it (before) and this year I see him with the desire and goal to have a great season.
“I see that he's in a very positive mindset with a very good quality and very good mentality. He is very open to talking about football and what the team needs. His role in the team is that he’s going to be a leader on the pitch, and the better Cole we have, the better Chelsea we have. That's for sure.
“I think that having a proper pre-season and proper preparation is going to be important for him – and you've seen that he's really focused on that. We are connected; we are getting each other. So far, I like his personality.”
Chelsea's next preseason fixture is against fierce rivals Tottenham on August 1st in Sydney, kicking off at 10:45 a.m. BST.