The Independent have claimed that Tottenham will not find it straight-froward to land Conor Gallagher from Chelsea this summer as the North London club now have some competition to contend with for the midfielder.
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).
Spurs deal for Conor Gallagher will not be easy
However, The Independent have now said that a deal to sign Gallagher would not be as easy for Spurs as it would have been last year.
Part of the reason for that is that Aston Villa have now entered the race to sign the England international as they look to reinforce their squad ahead of their Champions League campaign next season.
The outlet adds that the Midlands club have a ‘strong interest’ in Gallagher, with Unai Emery believing that the Chelsea star would be a good fit for his system.
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Villa can offer Champions League football to Gallagher, which might give them an advantage in the race. However, the Villans themselves are dealing with PSR issues and one would expect Spurs to be able to outbid them.
That allied with Tottenham’s long-term interest and the Lilywhites offering the midfielder a chance to remain in London might sway his decision towards joining Postecoglou’s men.