Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are in competition to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher as they seek to strengthen midfield depth under Thomas Tuchel’s tutelage.
Gallagher led Chelsea to victory against AFC Wimbledon recently and has been an ever-present part of Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season – but with less than two years remaining on his contract it seems likely he may leave before the transfer window closes.
Chelsea has invested significantly in their midfield this summer, making acquisitions like Moisés Caicedo, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Roméo Lavia, and they are open to offers for Gallagher. Gallagher has come highly regarded by Pochettino and Chelsea has demonstrated in this transfer window an interest in selling players at the right price.
Spurs must decide how much they’re willing to pay for Gallagher, who has been valued at PS50 million. Spurs have funds available from selling Harry Kane to Bayern Munich; thus enabling them to keep tabs on Gallagher all summer, with Ange Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 system well suited to his versatile play style and work rate.
The potential transfer may also hinge on Spurs finding a buyer for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who is surplus to requirements and linked with Atlético Madrid and Manchester United. Should Højbjerg depart, it would facilitate the acquisition of Gallagher, who qualifies as a homegrown player, helping Spurs meet Premier League squad rules.
Postecoglou has deployed Yves Bissouma as a No. 6 this season, flanked by James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr as No. 8s, with Olivier Skipp and the injured Rodrigo Bentancur in midfield rotation.
Tottenham isn’t the only club eyeing Gallagher. Tuchel, who worked with him during his time at Chelsea, is interested in bringing him to Bayern Munich. However, Bayern is unlikely to secure a loan deal from Chelsea for Gallagher. Brighton also has an interest but may struggle to meet the financial demands.
While Bayern has engaged in talks with Chelsea for Trevoh Chalobah, negotiations have hit a snag. Chelsea prefers to sell Chalobah, whereas Bayern prefers a loan deal.
Chelsea has undergone a significant squad overhaul this summer, with the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Roma and a potential move for Manchester City winger Cole Palmer. Callum Hudson-Odoi is nearing an £8 million transfer to Nottingham Forest, following Mason Mount’s move to Manchester United earlier in the window. Both Gallagher and Chalobah came through Chelsea’s academy.
Tottenham is also working on a clearout, aiming to offload players like Hugo Lloris, Sergio Reguilon, Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil, and Eric Dier. Despite losing out on Barcelona’s Ansu Fati to Brighton, securing a deal for Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson would be a welcome addition for Postecoglou, with Forest valuing him at £50 million.
