The transfer merry-go-round at Chelsea hasn’t yet begun in earnest, but there’s some certainty to the Blues again being heavily involved in proceedings as the club mould the first-team squad to Enzo Maresca’s liking.
Despite having made a real splash in the transfer market over the past couple of seasons, the West Londoners haven’t improved to the extent that such a financial outlay would suggest.
Perhaps Chelsea’s poor form could be put down to a mixture of Todd Boehly hiring and firing managers at will, and the consistent churn of players in and out of the club.
Conor Gallagher reluctant to leave Chelsea
No stability has clear implications for both players and club.
Perhaps that’s why Conor Gallagher still appears to be digging his heels in and not leaving the Stamford Bridge outfit – simply because he wants some stability in his professional career.
According to The Telegraph (subscription required), Gallagher is reluctant to move to Aston Villa, who, along with Tottenham Hotspur, have shown interest in his services.
Chelsea appear equally keen to move him on given that, as an academy graduate, any fee they get for him would be seen as pure profit in the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
At present there’s a clear impasse, and that doesn’t bode well for Enzo Maresca who will want everyone singing from the same hymn sheet once pre-season gets going in earnest.
Gallagher will be one of a few that won’t be back at his club for a few weeks thanks to his international commitments, and it remains to be seen how the land lies when he does return.
Were his current employers to insist that he leaves the club this summer, he’ll surely want to have any deal sorted as quickly as practicable to avoid any more disruption and upheaval.