Chelsea have held initial talks with Aston Villa over a move for Conor Gallagher.
The midfielder, who has skippered the Blues for much of the season, is entering the final 12 months of his deal with no new contract imminent. Unai Emery has identified Gallagher as a top target this summer as Villa plan for a Champions League campaign.
Gallagher has admirers at Villa Park and the Midlands outfit are in dialogue with the player’s camp, reports the Athletic, with an unclear future for him at Stamford Bridge. Mauricio Pochettino’s recent sacking could also impact on the player’s next move with the new manager, Enzo Maresca, having no previous experience with Gallagher.
Any sale for the 24-year-old would represent pure profit for the club as he is a homegrown player. Tottenham are prepared to rival Villa with a bid of up to £50million expected for the midfielder. A strong performance at Euro 2024 could also see Gallagher’s price increase.
Chelsea and Villa have negotiated on several deals in recent years which has led to a healthy relationship between the two clubs. Going back several seasons Ross Barkley spent a year on loan at Villa Park and more recently Carney Chukwuemeka made a move down to London.
Gallagher has said, with the Blues making more change in the dugout, that he’s excited to work with the new boss. He told Sky Sports: “Really exciting. I’ve heard really good things and I’ve seen really good things. Myself and everyone at Chelsea are really happy and excited to work with him.”
Villa’s offer may be too tempting for Chelsea to turn down though with the Midlands outfit continuing to invest. Last summer Emery went and landed Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby for more than £80m and the club are likely to put money into the playing squad.
The Spaniard has just penned a new five-year deal at Villa Park with the Midlands outfit able to retain the services of their manager, who is likely to be on the radar of top clubs around Europe.
He said: “I am very happy to take this step and the responsibility of leading this club. There’s a great chemistry in Aston Villa. And the element of the fans’ support also makes the difference to feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.”
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