Mauricio Pochettino is ready to block Chelsea star Conor Gallagher moving to Tottenham Hotspur.
According to Football Insider, Mauricio Pochettino is unwilling to let Chelsea star Conor Gallagher move to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The Argentine manager took over at Stamford Bridge earlier this summer and is currently putting together a squad that can challenge for top honours. One area that needs a revamp is the midfield, which has seen several players leave.
N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all left while the Moises Caicedo deal has turned dynamic thanks to Liverpool entering the fray. Chelsea have walked away from the Tyler Adams deal and have also bid for Romeo Lavia. But the latter is yet to arrive at the Bridge.
This leaves the club with just Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka as recognidable options in the middle of the park. Pochettino is aware of the thin options available to him and is unwilling to let Gallagher also leave.
The English midfielder is keen to stay put and fight for his spot at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino’s stance should come as music to his ears, given that both West Ham United and Tottenham are interested in securing his services.
Gallagher showed during his time at Crystal Palace that he can do a good job in the English top flight. With Pochettino now putting his foot down, the onus is on the 23-year-old to make a case for his inclusion even if potential additions are made in the coming days.
This is bad news for Pochettino’s former club Tottenham who have kept tabs on Gallagher. The North Londoners could part ways with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, and the Dane’s potential exit could leave a hole in the club’s roster.
With the transfer window set to close in a little over two weeks, things should move fast for Chelsea off the field. Whether Gallagher will eventually stay put come the arrival of new faces towards the end of August remains to be seen.