Leeds United are interested in Chelsea‘s Conor Gallagher and could make a loan move for him. Gallagher spent last season in the Premier League, playing for West Bromwich Albion, who were unfortunately relegated to the second tier.
As per Football.London, Leeds United spoke to the 21-year-old to try and convince him to join them on loan. Crystal Palace, who is now managed by Patrick Vieira, are also interested in the young midfielder. Gallagher is currently on Chelsea’s pre-season tour.
The midfielder made 30 Premier League appearances last season for West Brom, starting 28 of those games. He scored twice and assisted twice for the Baggies last season. He has four years remaining on his current Chelsea deal.
Conor Gallagher: A good midfield option for Bielsa?
Conor Gallagher is a product of the Chelsea academy, having joined the club as an 8-year-old. He spent the last two seasons on loan with three clubs – Charlton Athletic and Swansea City in the Championship, and West Brom in the Premier League. The Englishman was an important player in the Baggies midfield, playing a majority of their games in the league.
Gallagher is a useful midfielder who has plenty of good qualities and can be employed in a few different roles. He has frequently been deployed as a box-to-box midfielder or as a defensive midfielder. The Englishman is a hard-working player who can go up and down the pitch, put in tackles, and move the ball around quickly.
In the 2019-20 season, Gallagher averaged 2.7 tackles per game in the league, with a total of 81 tackles – the 11th best in the league. The Chelsea player likes to tackle but is also prone to giving away a few fouls.
Conor Gallagher has the ability to be a threat while going forward with his driving runs from the middle of the park. He scored twice and assisted twice in a struggling West Brom side last season, and it seems that there is more to come from him especially going forward as the Baggies had to defend a lot last season. The England U21 midfielder could be a good addition to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad as he has qualities that could help him settle into the Leeds team.
His work-rate and energy fit right into Bielsa’s style of play; working under a manager like Bielsa will only make Gallagher a better player. He could also be guaranteed some game time, which he will not get at Stamford Bridge anytime soon. Leeds’ all-action playing style and Bielsa’s more nuanced take on football will allow him to explore even more areas of his game and hone his skills even better.
Leeds may need to add one or two midfielders to their squad ahead of the 2020-21 season as they currently lack sufficient options in the middle of the park. Gallagher would add depth and energy to the Whites’ squad and would be a decent signing for them.