“Are Chelsea really going to sell him?” - Gary Neville expresses concern about reports suggesting Pochettino could sell Blues star in January
Gary Neville has expressed concern about reports suggesting that Chelsea could sell star midfielder Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window.
According to the Metro, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the England international and the Blues could be open to a sale. He has captained the club in Reece James' absence this season and has been a regular fixture in Mauricio Pochettino's XI.
Gallagher, who has started 24 games across competitions this term, was left out of Chelsea's starting XI in their second-leg EFL Cup semi-final clash against Middlesbrough on Tuesday (23 January). It was an important game for the Blues, who aren't in Europe this season, as they lost the first leg against Boro by a 1-0 margin.
Chelsea ultimately won 6-1 at Stamford Bridge, with Gallagher coming on with 25 minutes left on the clock. He made his presence felt, assisting two goals in that time to help his team reach the EFL Cup final.
However, Gallagher's exclusion from the starting XI concerned Neville, who said while commentating on Sky Sports:
"Are Chelsea really going to sell him?"
Neville's co-commentator, Bill Leslie, added:
"Well if you are in the camp that think that they might, the fact he was left out tonight, does that tell you anything."
Neville replied:
"Yeah, that’s what I thought when I saw the teamsheet come through. It’s come to a point where by you’ve spent that much money you’ve got to sell one of your own, who is playing pretty well, to fund it."
Gallagher, 23, has featured in every game for Chelsea this season, barring the 2-1 league loss against Manchester United in December due to an indirect card suspension.
What Mauricio Pochettino has said about Chelsea star Conor Gallagher's future
Mauricio Pochettino hasn't guaranteed that Conor Gallagher will be a Chelsea player at the end of the January transfer window.
Addressing the English midfielder's future at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager said, via the aforementioned Metro source:
"Look, I cannot guarantee I will be here tomorrow! In football, different things can happen. [There are] decisions between the club and player. Only the player can guarantee or the club. The player more than the club as the player have one year and half more."
Gallagher has been with Chelsea since 2008 but had to wait until August 2022 to make his senior debut for the club. The Englishman, whose contract expires in the summer of 2025, has made 72 senior appearances for the west London giants, scoring thrice and laying out seven assists.