Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is ready to impress Thomas Tuchel in pre-season after he made his decision on his future.
Coming off the back of a very successful season in the Premier League on loan at Crystal Palace, Gallagher wants to stay at Chelsea and fight for a spot in the Blues midfield.
Scoring eight goals and providing five assists in 39 appearances last season across all competitions, the midfielder was a key component in Patrick Vieira’s system last season. He even went on to win the Palace Player of the Season award voted by supporters.
He received a lot of praise during his time away from Stamford Bridge from head coach Thomas Tuchel, and now he is hoping to be a part of the German’s plans for the upcoming campaign.
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Gallagher was heavily linked with moves away from the west London side, with Everton recently declaring their interest while his future was unclear, but he has now set his intentions.
Speaking about his future, he said: "I told him (Tuchel) what I thought and he said what he thought. I said I think I’m ready to play for Chelsea. Patrick’s (Vieira) not been sure of my plans for next season. He might find out through this.
“It was 15 or 20 minutes and we both got out of the phone call what we needed. It was clear after that.
"I feel ready for a step up in my career. If there is a chance to be a part of the team at Chelsea then I can’t turn it down. I’ve got to have belief in myself that I can show the fans and the boss what I can do.”
The Chelsea midfield consists of the same players as last season, with no additions made by Tuchel as it is not an area of priority that needs changing.
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Central midfielder Gallagher could breathe new life into it though, if he can replicate the form he showed last season, he effectively would feel like a new signing for the Blues.
At times last year, Chelsea were depleted in the middle of the park, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all suffered with injuries, which may have handed Gallagher an opportunity to break through had he not been on loan.
Joining the team on their tour of the United States, Gallagher has a chance to impress in matches against Club America, Charlotte FC and Arsenal.
With both Kante and Loftus-Cheek not travelling with the squad due to their vaccination status, Gallagher could be handed an added boost of more minutes and therefore more opportunity to impress.
Gallagher expressed his attitude towards pre-season and his views on his boss, stating: "He’s brilliant, very friendly and welcoming.
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"I feel like he wants me to be here. I’m excited to work hard for him and impress in pre-season."
He will be hoping to feature as much as possible to stake a claim at being a regular in Tuchel’s side after the pair agreed he will be part of the squad next term.
The question remains how much of a role he will play, but he would be a fantastic option to have to utilise. With the Premier League now allowing club’s to make five substitutes, he has another factor in his favour ahead of the World Cup in November which he hopes to be involved in.
Featured Image Credit: Chelsea FCTopics: Conor Gallagher, Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel
