Chelsea have set an asking price of as much as £60million for Conor Gallagher this January, according to transfer news expert Ben Jacobs.
The England international’s future at Stamford Bridge remains slightly uncertain, though it seems he wants to stay, even if he still hasn’t signed a new deal with the Blues.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest column for the Daily Briefing, Jacobs stated that Tottenham like Gallagher, but they weren’t keen to pay as much as £35m for him in the summer, with his asking price now likely to have gone up substantially since then.
While Gallagher has been in fine form for Chelsea this season, Jacobs has, however, suggested that Mauricio Pochettino won’t necessarily know for sure how prominent a role he’s likely to have in the long term.
This could mean the situation is one that is looked at again in the summer, and Spurs may feel they have a better chance of getting him for more reasonable money by then, when he’ll have just a year left on his current contract.
“Conor Gallagher wants to stay at Chelsea, and it’s clear Mauricio Pochettino values him highly. He’s probably been Chelsea’s second-best player behind only Cole Palmer,” Jacobs said.
“However, Gallagher’s contract expires in summer 2025 and Chelsea’s policy is to listen to offers for any player with less than two years left on their existing deal. It was the same with Mason Mount prior to his move to Manchester United.
“This means either Gallagher signing a new deal (and talks haven’t advanced yet) or the club contemplating a sale at the right price. Chelsea are not actively offering up Gallagher just yet, but if an appealing offer emerges he could yet be sold in January.
“There is no magic number, because structure is equally as important, but it’s understood a guaranteed fee of around £45-50m could potentially tempt Chelsea to sell. The total package might have to reach close to £60m, though.”
He added: “Right now, Gallagher is integral. But with everyone fit, and the option to captain Reece James or Ben Chilwell, does Gallagher still get one of the two midfield starting spots on a regular basis? At this point, even Mauricio Pochettino probably doesn’t know the answer to that question with any certainty.
“Spurs do appreciate Gallagher, but there are no formal talks currently taking place despite reports in Italy. We will have to wait and see whether that changes over the coming weeks.
“Spurs tried for Gallagher last summer but didn’t want to pay more than £35m. Given Gallagher’s price has potentially another £20-25m on it, it’s hard to see a deal getting done. Chelsea are unlikely to come significantly down on price, at least not this window.”
SAID IT MANY TIMES,—-THE YANK IS ONLY LOOKING FOR MONEY. THE CLUB ITSELF IS OF NO INTEREST TO HIM/THEM. WHEN THE PRICE IS EVENTUALLY RIGHT, THEY WILL SELL, AND WE LONG TIME FANS WILL BE LEFT WITH A BROKEN CLUB. HOW THE HELL DO YOU KEEP SELLING THE BEST YOUNG PLAYERS, AND REPLACE THEM WITH OTHERS THAT DON’T GEL.