Chelsea: £50k-a-week star 'wants to stay' at Stamford Bridge | OneFootball

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has ‘always wanted to stay’ at Stamford Bridge despite the speculation over his future, journalist Simon Phillips has told GiveMeSport.

The 23-year-old was heavily linked with a move away from his boyhood club during the January transfer window, but he ultimately ended up staying put.

Fabrizio Romano revealed towards the end of the winter window that Everton had submitted a £45 million for Gallagher’s services as they looked to improve their chances of avoiding relegation.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope then stated that the England international wouldn’t be allowed to join direct rivals such as Newcastle United or Manchester United but that Crystal Palace were still in the running.

Despite the considerable interest in Gallagher, though, he remained a Chelsea player and could now be rewarded for his loyalty.

A recent report from The Sun has claimed that the Blues want to hand the box-to-box dynamo a pay rise and a new contract even though his current £50,000-per-week deal is not due to expire until the summer of 2025.

However, Gallagher is likely to struggle for game time when everyone at Chelsea returns from injury, especially as they have just splashed out £106.8 million on Enzo Fernandez.

What has Phillips said about Gallagher?

Chelsea have embarked on a lavish spending spree since co-owner Todd Boehly took charge, potentially blocking Gallagher’s pathway into the starting XI on a regular basis.

Yet Phillips has told GMS that the youngster’s ‘ultimate goal’ is to be successful at the west London outfit.

He said: “So, I've said this for some time now, it all depends on the second half of the season. Conor has always wanted to stay at Chelsea; that's his ultimate goal.”

How has Gallagher played this season?

Gallagher enjoyed a real breakout campaign during a loan spell at Palace last season, registering nine goals and five assists in 39 appearances.

He has been unable to replicate that sort of form in front of goal for Chelsea this time around, racking up just two goal contributions in 26 outings across all competitions.

As per FBref, Gallagher has still ranked in the 93rd percentile for blocks, 90th for non-penalty expected goals and progressive passes received, and the 86th for touches in the attacking penalty area and successful take-ons over the last year compared to his positional peers.

Those underlying numbers highlight the quality that Gallagher has, but it remains to be seen whether his long-term future lies at Chelsea or elsewhere.