Joe Cole has called on incoming Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to stop the club from selling Conor Gallagher.
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The Blues have agreed a deal with Leicester City for Maresca to become their next manager, following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino last week.
The Italian is set to sign a five year contract and has got a huge job on his hands to get Chelsea back winning trophies and fighting at the top end of the table.
Cole calls on Maresca to block Gallagher sale
Having guided the Foxes to the Championship title last season the 44-year-old will no doubt be looking for more success at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian’s appointment certainly took a lot of people by surprise, and he will need to be backed accordingly in the upcoming window to give him the best chance of having a successful first season in charge.
Chelsea are believed to be targeting a goalkeeper, left back, centre back and striker, whilst a number of players are expected to leave the club with the futures of Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah up in the air.
Former Chelsea star Cole believes Maresca needs to urge the club to keep Gallagher, describing him as one of the three most important players in the dressing room.
“If I was sitting in front of the Chelsea owners, I would be telling them that Conor is arguably the most important player in the dressing room,” Cole told talkSPORT.
“Before you even talk about what he does on the pitch, he understands the club.
“During the difficult times you see what a player is worth and Conor was always there and available and driving the team on.
“I think it’s vital for the club to keep him, I’ll admit I don’t understand the financial side of it but purely from a football point of view, he’s in the top three most important players in the dressing room.”
Gallagher was an ever present for Chelsea last season and was the only player at the club to make 50 or more appearances last season.
The England international is out of contract in 2025, and so far there have been no serious discussions over a new deal.