Before Mauricio Pochettino left Chelsea, there was a lot of talk about Conor Gallagher’s future.
The now-departed boss started the midfielder in 50 out of 51 games this season, so it was pretty clear what he thought of him.
Yet, sources have been telling HITC that Chelsea are reluctant to hand Conor Gallagher a new deal and there is a strong chance he could leave this summer.
You have to question if Pochettino’s surprise exit has played a part in that because you feel it just increases the player’s chances of also going.
Chelsea didn’t get what they wanted at the start of the campaign, which was a trophy and a Champions League finish.
But they still ended the campaign in a strong fashion and Gallagher played a huge part in that.
If the 24-year-old does go, then it means the club surely have players lined up to replace him and Glen Johnson was given two names.
The former right-back was asked if he would bring in Europa League winner with Atalanta Teun Koopmeiners and PSG’s Manuel Ugarte for Gallagher – the former was recently being watched by Liverpool and Chelsea, as sources told HITC.
Johnson made it clear that they could come in and ‘fail’, as he urged the club not to go through with such a transfer deal, as he told Squawka.
Teun Koopmeiners and Manuel Ugarte to replace Conor Gallagher
On if it would be a mistake replacing Gallagher with Teun Koopmeiners & Manuel Ugarte: “I do,” responded Johnson “Because we’ve seen many players that look good outside the Premier League come to these teams and fail.
“Obviously, there’s been endless chat about Gallagher leaving, but I don’t think anyone can say confidently that these two could come in and be better than Gallagher. They’re two good players, but are they going to be better than what he’s doing in the Premier League right now? Obviously, we don’t know. If it was a straight-up 100% yes, then of course they’re worth signing.
“But I think it’s a risky move when, for me, Gallagher has done a decent job. I know he’s not a so-called world-beater but he knows the Premier League, he knows the club. He does his job very well and he’s one that certainly puts in a good shift. So he’s one of the few positions, really, that have come out of Chelsea.”
Conor Gallagher’s Chelsea future
If Gallagher does leave, then a team in the Premier League will benefit from his reliability and experience on the international stage.
The Chelsea academy product is very aggressive without the ball and brilliant in pressing high up the pitch, arriving late in the box and scoring crucial goals.
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Sources have told HITC that Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham remain keen on Gallagher’s services.
Given all this noise around Pochettino and how he has left, you just wonder if they might end up landing his talents by the end of the summer transfer window.
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