Conor Gallagher’s future at Chelsea could be heavily dependent on his own decision, and also the future of Mason Mount.
Although the club will be appealed by the profit that selling Gallagher can bring, I feel that they will only sell him if he asks to go, but that also depends on whether Mount stays or not.
I think if Mount ends up leaving, which I am 50/50 on whether it happens or not, then the club, and especially Graham Potter, will want to keep Gallagher in the squad. But Gallagher will know that he won’t be a guaranteed starter and will have to accept a squad role, and I’m not sure that in this stage of his career whether he would want to continue doing that.
Gallagher seems like he has a desire is to stay at Chelsea, but at the same time, if he isn’t going to be an important first team player, then I don’t think that at his age he will be content with that.
So the decision will be with him. But I agree with a lot that former Blue Pat Nevin has said today on Gallagher, and he does bring so much to this squad and to this team.
Nevin said:
“It is Conor Gallagher who continues to catch the eye. That was his sixth cap for England, which isn’t bad for a 23-year-old who was ‘only’ a loan player at Crystal Palace just nine short months ago.”
“It is pretty clear why Gareth Southgate is as keen on him as Graham Potter is, the work rate and selflessness are off the scale. If you need someone to cover ground, go from box to box, make tackles, be a threat in the opposition box one minute and making superb defensive blocks in his own area the next, then Conor is your man.”
“Conor is a very good technical player. To be fair, there are others who are better, but his attitude allows him to cruise by them when squads are announced, simply because of the energy and willingness to give every bit of it every time he plays.”
“Conor rarely, if ever, seems to tire, oh yes and he can score the odd goal for us too, the last-minute winner against Palace will be one he will never forget!”
Potter really rates Gallagher, and you can see that lately with his sub decisions. Gallagher brings assets that some people forget you also need in a Premier League football team, and the club and Potter will really value that.
So it will be a tough and a big decision that Gallagher and the club will need to make this summer, but I do think that if Mount goes, the club will be more willing to keep Gallagher in the squad.