£50M midfielder says he will be ‘EXCITED’ to work with Enzo Maresca at Chelsea as Blues discussing personal terms with Colombian star
While Conor Gallagher said that he is eager to work with Enzo Maresca, he did not rule out leaving Chelsea.
The midfield player, who could be sacrificed by the Blues this summer in order to comply with Profit and Sustainability guidelines, is currently being linked to Unai Emery’s team in a trade of £50 million.
Villa is trying to bolster their team after making it into the Champions League the previous season. According to the report, the club and Gallagher’s team are “in contact” regarding a potential transfer.
With concerns over the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs), Gallagher is one of the players Chelsea has apparently decided to cash in on this summer. Any transfer charges gathered by As an academy graduate, Chelsea would appear on their accounts as pure profit.
But Asked if he sees himself at Chelsea next season, Gallagher said on Thursday: ‘Well, I am a Chelsea player right now and like I said, now I am just thinking about England and the tournament.’
Asked how he felt about Mauricio Pochettino’s exit, Gallagher said: ‘He’s done so much for me so I was sad for him and sad for the coaching staff.
‘But I’m really excited about the new manager coming in and myself and everyone at Chelsea are really excited to work with him.’
When asked how Pochettino improved him as a player, Gallagher said: ‘Yeah, he just showed his belief and trust in me which is what all a player wants, to be honest.
‘If a manager shows you a bit of love it makes you play better, long story short, it gives you confidence and that’s what he gave me.
Explaining why Villa could be the ideal transfer for Gallagher, pundit Danny Murphy recently told talkSPORT: “I wouldn’t be surprised [if he wanted to leave] . I think he would be a brilliant signing for Aston Villa and it would be good value.
“I’ve been a little critical of his end product, that isn’t his strength although he can get in the box and score a goal. He was dropping in a bit deeper last season and he was absolutely terrific.
“When you look at some of the amounts being paid for players, £50m for Conor Gallagher… superb athlete, always fit, you know what you get, can play different positions.
“It’s an upgrade on what Villa have got and he would be playing Champions League football and I think the fans would love him, not that the Chelsea fans don’t, but I think for Villa it would be really good value and a statement. I think it’s a perfect player for Aston Villa.”
Blues discussing personal terms with Colombian star
Chelsea have been given permission to discuss personal terms with Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, according to The Telegraph.
The Colombian striker has been with the Villans for the last 18 months, but he has made only 38 appearances for them in all competitions.
Duran has played second fiddle to Ollie Watkins, but he could be playing in a different shirt next season with interest from the Blues.
The west London giants have been permitted to discuss terms with Duran and a long-term contract could be agreed in the near future.
The club have yet to finalise a transfer fee with the Villans, but reports claim that an agreement could be reached before June 30.
A deal worth £40 million could be agreed between the clubs. Chelsea could easily recoup the funds with Villa’s interest in Ian Maatsen.
Maatsen currently has a release clause worth £35m in his deal, but the Villans prefer to sign him for slightly less this summer.