“I love Chelsea” - 23-year-old makes emphatic claim when asked about his future
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has played down speculations linking him with an exit this summer.
The Englishman joined the Blues' academy in 2008 but had to wait until the 2022-23 season to make his senior debut for the club. He finished the campaign with 45 appearances across competitions, in which he registered three goals and an assist.
It was an underwhelming season for Gallagher and his teammates, who did not win any silverware and finished 12th in the league. The 23-year-old has been linked with an exit this summer.
When asked if he will leave the Blues, Gallagher said, via the Evening Standard:
"I love Chelsea, it has been a tough season for me and the whole team so I think we will just be working hard to get us back to where we belong. He’s a top manager (Mauricio Pochettino), everyone at Chelsea is happy he’s here and we’re looking forward to working with him."
Gallagher spent loan spells at Charlton Athletic and West Bromwich Albion but it was his year-long spell with Crystal Palace which earned him his place in Chelsea's first-team set-up.
The Englishman won the Eagles' 'Player of the Season' award in the 2021-22 season where he registered eight goals and five assists in 39 games across competitions.
Chelsea's Conor Gallagher thanks England boss for support
Conor Gallagher was picked in Gareth Southgate's squad for England's UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers in June.
The Chelsea midfielder was an unused substitute in his team's 4-0 win against Malta on 16 June. But he came on as a substitute in the 58th minute of England's 7-0 rout of North Macedonia three days later.
Thanking the Three Lions head coach, Gallagher continued, via the aforementioned source:
"I am always grateful to be here and for Gareth to have that trust in me despite it being a tough season for both me and Chelsea. I am really happy he has shown that trust in me still and I think he knows I will work as hard as I can no matter what to give my best."
Gallagher traveled to the 2022 FIFA World Cup but did not play a single minute. His prominence in Chelsea's first-team set-up could increase next season given the club's midfield situation.
N'Golo Kante is set to move to Al-Ittihad as a free agent next month (h/t Gianluca Di Marzio) after Jorginho was sold in January to Arsenal. Meanwhile, Mateo Kovacic is heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, as per Fabrizio Romano.
Gallagher, hence, could play an important role in Pochettino's plans. His contract at Stamford Bridge expires only in the summer of 2025.