Chelsea duo ready to follow Pochettino after shock sacking
With Mauricio Pochettino’s departure, Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah are anticipated to be nearer the Stamford Bridge exit door.
Tuesday night’s announcement of the Argentine’s departure came after an end-of-season evaluation with the club’s management.
Despite the club’s intention to sell the two academy graduates, who had been important players for him, the 52-year-old was ready to put up a strong fight to keep them.
Gallagher and Chalobah move in closer to the evacuation door.
With Pochettino out of the frame it means both Chalobah and Gallagher are more vulnerable to being sold with the club keen on cashing in on their homegrown status as they represent “pure profit” on the books.
Alongside Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto, Gallagher has been one of Chelsea’s standout performers and has captained the side for large parts of the season due to the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
Chalobah has shown his worth to the side in the second half of the season having missed the first half due to injury.
He made his first appearance of the season in February and the Blues didn’t lose a Premier League game in which the 24-year-old started.
Both players want to stay at the club and fight for their place, but unlike Chalobah who is under contract until 2028, Gallagher is entering into the final year of his deal with no signs of a new one on the table.
The Evening Standard report that Chelsea’s players are believed to fear losing two talented team-mates who work hard and are low maintenance.
Gallagher is attracting interest from rivals Tottenham and Newcastle with the Blues believed to value the midfielder at around £50m.
The Evening Standard add Fulham could be interested in Chalobah as a replacement for Tosin Adarabioyo, although Chalobah is likely to only consider a move to a club with European football.
It would be a real shame if the pair left given they have come through the ranks, coupled with the fact they are more than good enough to play a role in the Chelsea squad.
Hopefully we haven’t seen them for the last time in a Chelsea shirt because the squad needs players that understand what it means to play for the club.