Chelsea’s academy gem: What’s next for Conor Gallagher?
What next?
Gallagher’s future remains up in the air. The 21-year-old is contracted to the club until 2025, therefore, there is no pressure on them to sell him immediately. Nonetheless, the youngster has been linked with a permanent move away from the club, with Crystal Palace among those looking to sign him. Another outcome—perhaps the most likely one–is that he leaves on loan to another Premier League side. The player, however, has done enough to warrant a place in the Chelsea squad for the 21/22 season.
The young midfielder played more minutes (2,531) last season in the Premier League than Kante, Jorginho or Kovacic. Barring the seven penalties which Jorginho scored, Gallagher had the most goal contributions among the four and recorded the highest non-penalty xG + xA (3.4). He had more shots overall and per 90, as well as more shots on target, despite playing for a largely passive side. Defensively, Gallagher recorded more pressures than the three. Meanwhile, he had a similar number of interceptions and tackles as the former two.
Chelsea will compete in six competitions next term: Premier League, Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup, FA Cup and EFL Cup. That should provide Gallagher the opportunity to get into the senior team. Although the Blues already have four midfielders for the two central positions—and they have been linked with Declan Rice—Gallagher offers a unique skill-set. He offers dynamism, creativity and a tangible finished product from the middle of the pitch without sacrificing defensive responsibility.
There are, of course, areas in need of improvement. Gallagher is still in his formative years and, as stated in the previous section, will need to improve his numbers. The chance to play in a much more attacking team than West Brom should help him do so. He also needs to work on his discipline without losing his aggression, which he can learn from watching and playing alongside Kante and Jorginho.
Gallagher offers something fresh and different. His numbers from last season do not speak of a youngster trying to find his feet in the fast-paced action of the Premier League, but a mature professional playing a key role within his team. To us, he doesn’t seem like a player in need of another loan. What he needs is trust—from his club and his coach—and he can go to the top. Right to the very top.
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