‘Arguably the most important player’: Chelsea legend gives his views on Conor Gallagher transfer rumours

It is going to be a summer of big decisions for Chelsea as the former European Champions draw their transfer plans under potential manager Enzo Maresca. While spending will be part of the summer plans, raising funds will be another big headache for the club. As things stand, Chelsea are battling with the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) which puts brakes on their lucrative transfer plans. And part of the plan includes selling the club’s academy product Conor Gallagher to balance the pay slip.

However, former Chelsea and England forward Joe Cole has insisted that Chelsea should stick to the versatile midfielder. According to Cole, Gallagher knows the culture and the tradition of Chelsea and could help the next generation of players understand what the club is all about.

Cole does not support a possible Conor Gallagher transfer

“If I was sitting in front of the Chelsea owners, I would be telling them that Conor is arguably the most important player in the dressing room,” Cole said while speaking on Gallagher.

“Before you even talk about what he does on the pitch, he understands the club. During the difficult times, you see what a player is worth and Conor was always there and available and driving the team on. I think it’s vital for the club to keep him.”

At just 24, Gallagher is already one of the most experienced Chelsea players in the team roster having spent time around the first team. During the 2023-24 season, he made 37 appearances for the club notching five goals while also scoring thrice in 35 matches in the 2022-23 season. He missed only one match in the Premier League last season, highlighting his importance as one of the first-team regulars.

However, PSR regulations mean Chelsea will have to sell players before they can buy and will have to raise funds through players on high salaries or short contracts. With the majority of the squad players being on long-term contracts and signed in recent seasons, Gallagher then comes at the top of the pecking order in terms of sales.

Chelsea’s transfer plan

The club will be selling players like Armando Broja and Romelu Lukaku while Thiago Silva’s free departure will also help the club balance the pay slip. Gallagher’s current contract runs out in June 2025, which makes the club’s situation more vulnerable as they could lose out on a transfer fee while getting rid of his wages. Although the club signing Gallagher will pay a compensation fee for a homegrown player, it won’t help solve the issues for Chelsea.

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