Chelsea ace ‘very close to Everton’ before potential £45m deal collapsed

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Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy believes Conor Gallagher was ‘very close’ to joining Everton before turning down the Premier League outfit during the January transfer window, speaking to talkSPORT (20 March, 11.20pm). 

Slowly but surely, Gallagher has emerged as an important part of the squad at Stamford Bridge. OK, the England international is not one of the first names on Graham Potter’s team sheet. With just one goal and one assist, his attacking numbers have dropped substantially too from that excellent loan spell at Crystal Palace. 

But few at Chelsea can match his tally of appearances in 2022/23. 32 in all competitions, 24 of those coming in the Premier League. 

“He has played in a lot of games. He’s played a lot of football; more football than people probably thought he would,” says Cundy who, like Gallagher, came through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. 

“He’s had an impact. I thought he was excellent when he came off the bench against Leicester (a 3-1 Chelsea win in mid-March).

“But I don’t know what his future holds.” 

Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher turned down Everton

It is no secret that Crystal Palace would have jumped at the chance to sign Gallagher permanently last summer, a rumoured £45 million price-tag ruining Patrick Vieira’s hopes of a potential Selhurst Park return.  

According to Cundy, who has connections behind the scenes at Chelsea, Gallagher also turned down the chance to join an Everton side who, in January, appeared to be sleepwalking towards relegation under ex-Blues boss Frank Lampard.

“My understanding is that Chelsea didn’t want to get rid of him in the summer,” Cundy adds. “Even though Crystal Palace came back in. My understanding is that, in January, he was very close to going to Everton. My understanding is that, in January, he was very close to going to Everton. 

“But I believe he didn’t want to go through with the deal so nothing happened.”

Newcastle United, per The Athletic, are the current frontrunners for Gallagher’s signature; the one-time West Brom midfielder likely to be a man in high demand again sooner rather than later.