Conor Gallagher has handed Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa a blow by stating that he is looking forward to working with new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
Gallagher has been linked with a move to Spurs for the last 12 months, with various sources reporting that Ange Postecoglou had identified him as a priority target as soon as he walked through the door at Hotspur Way last summer (Fabrizio Romano – GiveMeSport).
Tottenham might view the upcoming transfer window as the ideal time to swoop for the 24-year-old, who has just one year left on his deal at Stamford Bridge.
Besides, it has also been widely reported over the last few months that Chelsea would have to raise significant funds before the end of June to ensure they do not fall foul of PSR, with the midfielder thus expected to be sacrificed (The Times).
However, Spurs’ pursuit of the England international is not expected to be straightforward, with various sources suggesting over recent days that Aston Villa are also keen on securing the player’s services (Independent).
Conor Gallagher still wants to stay at Chelsea
Tottenham and Aston Villa’s race to sign Gallagher might have just got a lot harder after he publicly expressed his intention to remain at Chelsea, insisting that he is looking forward to working with Maresca.
He told Sky Sports (as relayed by Fabrizio Romano): “Myself and everyone at Chelsea are excited and happy to work with Enzo Maresca. We want to get Chelsea back to where they belong!”
Spurs Web Opinion
It has been well-document right through this whole transfer saga that Gallagher is not desperate to leave Chelsea and that it is the Blues who are pushing him out of the door due to their PSR problems.
This statement from the midfielder does not come as a major surprise and it certainly does not rule out a departure from Stamford Bridge this summer.