Does Conor Gallagher have a future with Chelsea?

The 22 year old has been flourishing at Crystal Palace this season on loan from Chelsea. Could we see him line up in Thomas Tuchel's side in 2023?

Written by Lachlan Sherriff.

It’s hard to call.

Chelsea have a bright young talent playing week in week out right now. The problem is, he's doing it on loan for Crystal Palace. Will Conor Gallagher be a Chelsea regular in the 2022-23 season?

Chelsea won’t go out openly trying to sell Gallagher. If they can’t find a replacement, Thomas Tuchel will happily keep him as depth. He’s proved he’s too good to just continue to be loaned out. Either play him or sell him.

Of course, selling him isn’t a bad option. Crystal Palace are obviously going back for him, while PSG were willing to buy the Englishman for €50 million. While that would’ve been the stupidest panic buy ever, it’s not hard to imagine Gallagher playing at PSG in five years time. Or another super club like Real Madrid. Or Chelsea.

Look, Tuchel would love to keep Gallagher. But it wouldn’t work out. N’Golo Kante and Jorginho walk into Chelsea’s midfield. That’s undebatable. Gallagher would then have to compete alongside Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic for that third midfield spot. And while you can make an argument that Gallagher is just as good as both of them, I’m not sure if Tuchel would be willing to bench two Champions League winning midfielders for a 22 year old who is yet to make a senior debut for Chelsea, instead playing out his career at Charlton Athletic, Swansea, West Brom and now Crystal Palace. It doesn’t get any easier fighting for that wing spot. Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Callum Hudson-Odoi will all be in contention, while Timo Werner may also try to revamp his Chelsea career on Tuchel’s left hand side. Gallagher may unfortunately suffer the same fate as Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian striker was also loaned to Palace, where he flourished, but there was just no room for him at Stamford Bridge.

Above: Michy Batshuayi never found his footing at Chelsea, despite five goals in eleven games on loan at Selhurst Park.

Gallagher is going to be a special player in football. Crystal Palace won’t be the peak of his career, I can assure you that. But he shouldn’t be done with them yet. Get a €25 million pound move to Palace this summer. Be a part of this exciting project, led by one of the greatest midfielders the EPL has ever seen on the touchline. If Gallagher can help Crystal Palace replicate what West Ham are doing and get them into the top six, then he can leave for any club he wants in a few years time for a nine digit transfer fee with his head held high. And that would be best, for Gallagher, for Chelsea, and for Palace. With all that being said, if PSG are actually serious about that €50 million bid, then you take that money and run like Usain Bolt.