Conor Gallagher loan decision ‘hoped for’ this week — report

Conor Gallagher’s immediate future appears to lie away from Chelsea at the moment, even if he was the only player to play the full 90 in last night’s 2-1 friendly win over AFC Bournemouth, and a decision on his loan destination is “hoped for” this week. (And it’s certain to be a loan; no suggestions of a transfer fortunately.)

There are at least three Premier League sides interested in the 21-year-old’s services, with Newcastle recently joining Crystal Palace or Leeds United, though with Gallagher said to prefer the latter two. Having him play for Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds would be a solid choice for his development.

Gallagher has four years left on his Chelsea contract, and we would certainly like to see him get a proper chance at a first-team spot before it’s over.

Gallagher’s hardly the only midfielder whose future hangs in the balance, though we’re probably looking to arrange more permanent exits for the likes of Tiémoué Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater, and Ross Barkley. Barkley has also been linked with Newcastle recently, while Bakayoko remains a potential target at AC Milan.