Conor Gallagher, one of Mauricio Pochettino’s most valuable players this year, is someone Tottenham looks ready to pursue in an attempt to cause him even more grief. The Chelsea playmaker is supposedly “pressing ahead” with Spurs’ desire to sign him as Ange Postecoglou tries to continue his spending binge this month.
Chelsea’s season has started badly, and their EFL Cup loss to Middlesbrough 1-0 on Tuesday night exposed some of their serious problems. Despite recently spending £1 billion on team construction, the Blues lack true star quality throughout the roster.
As a result, more signings are expected, with Pochettino calling for defensive reinforcements and a star No. 9 to eventually spearhead his team’s attack. But it appears that his demands will come at a hefty price.
The Independent claims that Tottenham is “moving forward” with their ambitions to recruit Chelsea academy graduate Gallagher, who has previously been strongly connected to a move away from Stamford Bridge.
The former Spurs manager has openly stated that he would like Chelsea’s higher authorities to extend Gallagher’s contract rather than selling the player in order to raise money. The England international has been a regular fixture in Pochettino’s squad.
Tottenham is in need of a new midfield player and has had the 23-year-old at the top of their shortlist of targets since the summer, so it’s possible that his appeals may go unanswered. Given that Gallager is one of Pochettino’s most dependable players and has led the team on multiple occasions ahead of more seasoned players like Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling, his departure would be a huge blow to the manager.
Perhaps because the playmaker is seen to work well in his manager’s 4-3-3 formation, Postecoglou is eager to sign him. Chelsea has never held back from expressing that offers for Gallagher would be considered, though, and a sizable offer from Tottenham might give them much to consider.
Should one of Pochettino’s most valuable players be shipped off to his old team, he has the right to demand an immediate replacement and a detailed explanation. Chelsea’s current midfield trio of Moises Caicedo, Gallagher, and Enzo Fernandez hasn’t exactly lit up the Premier League, but losing the most productive player among the three could be a step backward rather than ahead, given that they would be fortifying a direct opponent.
On the other hand, Tottenham would be making a hat-trick of spectacular additions if they added Gallagher to their roster. Radu Dragusin is also expected to join, and Timo Werner will come on loan for the duration of the season.
