CHELSEA want to reward Conor Gallagher with a new deal and a pay rise after refusing to let him leave in January.
The England midfielder, who is under contract until 2025, was a big hit on loan at Crystal Palace last season with eight goals in 34 Prem matches.
But boyhood Blues fan Gallagher, who turns 23 on Monday, was already struggling for consistent game time BEFORE Todd Boehly’s British record £110million splash for new boy Enzo Fernandez.
Owner Boehly — who has spent an incredible £606m including loan fees and add-ons since buying the club in May — wants to keep him sweet by handing him a rise to his £50,000-a-week salary.
Newcastle and Everton joined Palace in the queue for Gallagher in the closing days of the window but he was not allowed out.
A clutch of Prem clubs are sure to have another go at the end of the season but the signs from Stamford Bridge are that he is still firmly in their thoughts.
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And the four-cap star played all of Friday’s 0-0 home draw with Fulham in the Prem.
Chelsea are still tipped for a summer clear-out.
That could include keeper Edouard Mendy, summer defensive flop Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech, plus possibly even N’Golo Kante, Marc Cucurella and Gallagher’s fellow home-grown ace Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all potential discards.
Boehly has overseen deals which could add up to an incredible total of £606m this season.
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And in fact the January spend of almost £330m is more than the combined buying from ALL the clubs in the other Big Five leagues – Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
And despite the spree, ex-Chelsea player and manager Glenn Hoddle reckons Thiago Silva is the only shoo-in starter.
The ex-Tottenham and England chief said: “He’s a must. But everyone else, it’s a mish-mash.
“There’s a lot of work to do. He’s got some lovely material to make a beautiful suit but it’s going to take more time with so many new players.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
