‘Creative’ £50,000-a-week player was never close to leaving Chelsea – Fabrizio Romano

Add as preferred source on Google

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher was not close to leaving Stamford Bridge yesterday.

Conor Gallagher was being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the 2023 summer transfer window, but journalist Fabrizio Romano says a deal was never close, as the north London club could not offload Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham did make a £40m bid for the 23-year-old but, in the end, they failed to conclude the transfer.

Ian Maatsen was another Chelsea player who could have left west London yesterday, with Burnley trying to sign him at the very end of the transfer window.

As per The Telegraph, Chelsea agreed a deal with Burnley for Maatsen to return to Turf Moor after his successful loan spell there last season, but the player wanted to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Mauricio Pochettino will be delighted that Conor Gallagher is staying

Pochettino made it clear that he wanted Gallagher to remain in west London. “We hope he stays with us,” the Argentine told Chelsea’s official website and the media yesterday.

The £50,000-a-week (Spotrac) England international, who has been hailed as a “very creative midfielder” by his former Crystal Palace team-mate Marc Guehi, has been an important player for his new manager so far.

He started in the games against Liverpool, West Ham United and Luton Town and even captained Chelsea in their Carabao Cup win versus AFC Wimbledon.

Going forward, Gallagher’s game time may decrease following Chelsea’s acquisitions of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but it appears that Pochettino still very much appreciates the Three Lions star.