Burnley are reportedly leading the chase to sign Chelsea starlet Conor Gallagher, who is shining on loan with EFL Championship outfit Charlton Athletic.
As per a report from the Daily Mail, Chelsea youngster Conor Gallagher, who is currently away on loan with Championship club Charlton Athletic, has emerged as a potential transfer target for Burnley.
Gallagher has been with the Chelsea youth setup since the age of eight and has been regarded as one of the brightest prospects coming through in recent years. The 19-year-old midfielder has never featured for the Blues’ first-team, but was among the substitutes for their UEFA Europa League final triumph against Arsenal earlier this year.
Gallagher joined Charlton on a season-long loan in the summer and has been earning rave reviews for his performances with the Addicks. The teenager has featured 23 times in the Championship, producing an impressive return of six goals and three assists so far – drawing comparisons to Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
On the back of his performances for Charlton, Gallagher broke into the England U-21 setup in October and has already racked up four appearances, scoring one goal in the process. His progress over the past few months has alerted a number of clubs, with Burnley being one among them.
Burnley are looking for recruitment in the midfield department heading into January given the lack of options at manager Sean Dyche’s disposal. Ashley Westwood and Jack Cork are the first-choice picks for the Clarets, with Jeff Hendrick and on-loan Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater being the back-ups.
With Drinkwater struggling to break into the team on a regular basis and Dyche using Hendrick on the wing, a new central midfielder is a priority for Burnley, to which end they see Gallagher as a viable target.
The report claims that Chelsea have the option of recalling Gallagher from loan should they decide to cash in on him in January. However, given the potential that the 19-year-old has shown, it is unlikely that Lampard would be willing to sanction a sale.
The Blues’ boss has shown an inclination to give youth a chance in the first-team and considering that Gallagher is a player who was groomed under Lampard’s assistant Jody Morris, the pair would be reluctant to let him leave.
As things stand, it is likely that Gallagher will continue his development on loan at Charlton for the rest of the season. Burnley will have to look elsewhere to bolster their midfield, with Bristol City’s Josh Brownhill another mooted target.
