Chelsea midfielder Connor Gallagher in action. (Getty Images)
According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace are currently leading the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher on loan this summer.
As per the report, the 20-year-old has emerged as a target for several Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United and Leeds United, after impressing on loan in the Championship last season.
However, it is understood that Palace remain the most interested suitors for his services and have held talks with the player and Chelsea to bring the England U-21 starlet to Selhurst Park on a loan deal.
Gallagher is expected to sign a new long-term contract with Chelsea before departing on loan, with his existing deal at Stamford Bridge set to expire in 2022.
Born in Epsom, Conor Gallagher joined Chelsea’s youth system at the age of 8 and progressed rapidly through the ranks. The midfielder featured for the Blues’ U-18 and U-23 sides, winning the 2018-19 Academy Player of the Year award.
The England youth international signed a three-year deal with Chelsea in 2019 before joining newly-promoted Championship club Charlton Athletic on loan. Gallagher’s temporary stint at The Valley proved to be a success, with the youngster accumulating 6 goals and 2 assists in 26 league outings for the Addicks.
Gallagher was recalled by Chelsea in January and subsequently loaned out to Swansea City, where he added a further 6 assists in 21 appearances to guide Steve Cooper’s side to the promotion playoffs.
The 20-year-old finished his first season at the senior level with impressive numbers, registering a combined tally of 6 goals and 8 assists in 47 Championship appearances for Charlton and Swansea.
Palace finished 14th in the 2019-20 PL season with a dismal scoring record of just 31 goals in 38 league games, which was the second-worst tally in the entire division after relegated Norwich City. Jordan Ayew was the top-scorer for the Eagles with 9 goals but Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend failed to provide the necessary support to the Ghanaian with enough goal contributions.
In fact, Palace also need more direct goal involvement from their midfielders if they are to improve on their pathetic scoring record from the previous campaign. The likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Luka Milivojevic, James McCarthy, James McArthur, and Max Meyer shared only 4 goals among them in the Premier League last term, which is definitely not enough.
Also, it is worth considering that Kouyate (30), McCarthy (29), McArthur (32), and Milivojevic (29) are all ageing. So Palace need to look for a young and energetic goalscoring midfielder in the market this summer.
The arrival of Eberechi Eze from QPR is expected to improve the quality of the club’s creative lines but another new signing in that department could well be decisive.
To put things into perspective, Conor Gallagher perfectly fits the bill as a goalscoring central midfielder at Selhurst Park, who seems more than capable of adding more quality and substance to Palace’s ageing midfield.
The 20-year-old’s impressive tally of goals and assists in the Championship last season clearly indicates his pedigree as a young player. Gallagher showcased the versatility to switch between deeper box-to-box and central attacking roles behind the striker, something that should make it easier to compete for a regular starting role under Roy Hodgson next term.
Conor Gallagher was one of the best young midfielders in the Championship last season and there is a great likelihood that he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League.
Palace need to make full use of the market opportunities this summer to try and bolster their squad with some quality young talent. Hence, completing a loan deal for the Chelsea starlet could be an excellent piece of business for the Eagles.