Chelsea: What’s next for Conor Gallagher?

The crown of Chelsea’s loan army this year, Conor Gallagher, has attracted the attention of the fanbase. While some are calling for his integration into the first team, what would the ideal next step be?

As dozens of Chelsea players flock around all of Europe to form the legendary ‘loan army’ every year, there is always a couple of standout performers that develop a cult following. Last season was quite exceptional in that regard, as Mason Mount, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham flourished at the same time. They’re in the same league and now find themselves as important first players.

It is therefore understandable that many amongst the Chelsea fanbase are calling for this year’s star loan player—Conor Gallagher—to follow in their footsteps and be a part of the first team next season. However, there are a multitude of reasons that a rushed promotion would prove detrimental to his development.

Gallagher operates as a typical box-to-box midfielder, acting as a tenacious presser at times. He instantly became one of the main men at Charlton during the first half of the campaign, making crucial goal contributions with six goals and two assists. As a player coming out of the academy, Gallagher seamlessly converted his technical skills into end product, while relentlessly fulfilling his defensive duties.

Not being satisfied with just a good season, Gallagher moved from relegation-threatened Charlton to promotion-battling Swansea. The switch acted as a step up, as he was surrounded with better players pushing him to improve further, adding another five assists in the two short months he has been at club.

While he has proved to be a standout player in the Championship, Gallagher is not quite ready to play for a European giant. Between all the great moments he has had so far, there have been spells of glaring inconsistency, which is quite normal of a player of his age. While this inconsistency might not hurt a Championship club much, it could cost a team like Chelsea as it battles out fierce competition for a spot in the top four.

The youth revolution at Chelsea has been accelerated due to the club’s transfer ban, as players like Mount and Tomori would’ve ideally gone out on loan another season in regular circumstances, a fact Lampard has confessed.

Taking the example of Mount, the young Englishman has benefitted from playing in the role that makes him indispensable to Lampard’s system, guaranteeing him regular minutes. Like Gallagher, Mount has had plenty of good and bad spells over the course of the season, but his development has continued due to consistent playing time, something that would allude Gallagher next season.

In the role he plays, Gallagher currently has Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek ahead of him. If he were to be a part of the squad, realistically, he would be limited to substitute appearances in cup competitions. While training with top players would undoubtedly benefit him, lack of minutes will stagnate his career, just like Ethan Ampadu.

Be it a top side in the Championship, a mid-table side in the Premier League or a move abroad, Gallagher must spend the next season on loan at a club that allows him to play 40 games a season.