Enzo Maresca breaks silence on Conor Gallagher’s future at Chelsea and reveals what HE wants to happen with outcast star – after Blues brutally told midfielder he will not be part of their plans
Enzo Maresca has given his take on Conor Gallagher’s banishment and revealed what he wants to happen with the midfielder.
Chelsea cut short Gallagher’s holiday and informed him he will not be part of the first-team dressing room when he returns on Monday.
Gallagher has been with the Blues since the age of eight and captained the club under Mauricio Pochettino last season.
The club have agreed a £33million fee with Atletico Madrid but that deal looks unlikely to progress at this stage. All the same, it indicates Chelsea’s stance amid his eagerness to stay.
Maresca, who claimed his first win as Chelsea boss on Thursday with a 3-0 victory over Mexican side Club America, was diplomatic when asked about the 24-year-old.
Enzo Maresca has revealed his stance on the stand-off between Conor Gallagher and Chelsea
Chelsea have told Gallagher he is not part of their plans and are trying to offload the midfielder
‘At the moment, there is not any update on that,’ he said.
‘The only thing I can say is that he was in contact with the club to find a solution. I don’t think it’s something new.
‘In football, every summer, different clubs have some problems with some players, and then at the end, they find a solution and everyone is happy. Hopefully the same can happen in this situation.’
Gallagher started all but one of Chelsea’s Premier League games last season and was taken to Euro 2024 with England as a reward for his good form in a turbulent time.
Chelsea offered Gallagher a new contract of two years plus a year’s option after a £57.5m fee was accepted from Aston Villa in June, a move which he rejected.
They then offered the same deal last week after the latest offer was received from Atletico Madrid.
Gallagher has never hidden his desire to stay and play for Chelsea but would like a contract that reflects his value and a commitment from all sides.
For example, £30m signing Kieran Dewsbury-Hall was gifted a five-year deal with a club option of a year’s extension upon arrival.
Gallagher has been with the club since the age of eight and is open to staying but wants to be rewarded with a long-term deal
Kieran Dewsbury-Hall, for example, is on a five-year deal with the option of an extension
Chelsea are concerned that Gallagher does not fit Maresca’s system and are thus hesitant to hand him a long-term deal.
Atletico Madrid have been pressing for an answer after agreeing their fee with Chelsea but Gallagher is still unconvinced it is right for him.
Gallagher is a firm favourite with Stamford Bridge fans but the club’s latest actions reflect that they are pressing harder to cash in on him now and boost their PSR situation owing to his homegrown status rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer when his deal is up.
