Chelsea fans will be paying close attention to Conor Gallagher’s performances for Tottenham after his January move.
The West London club sold Gallagher to Atletico Madrid for £34 million in the summer of 2024, despite protests from many supporters.
Fans at Stamford Bridge even made a tifo display to show the owners that they wanted the academy graduate to stay, but their demands were ignored.
Ultimately, Gallagher’s time in Madrid did not go as planned, and he now finds himself playing for Spurs, the Blues’ biggest rivals.
From a Chelsea perspective, the spotlight is on him to prove the owners wrong for selling him, but he has already failed in that regard.
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Conor Gallagher looks injured during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur
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Conor Gallagher makes costly error in Spurs defeat
Conor Gallagher was Tottenham’s biggest signing of the January transfer window, as they look to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
He signed for £34m, the same fee Chelsea received, and was expected to make an immediate impact in North London.
In fairness, the midfielder played a crucial role in Spurs’ comeback against Manchester City 10 days ago, but he has since come unstuck.
Gallagher, along with most players, played poorly in Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday.
However, the Englishman made one particular error that sums up his greatest deficiency as a top-level footballer.
When Spurs were on a dangerous three-on-three counterattack in the 68th minute, Gallagher played a careless pass towards Xavi Simons that was easily intercepted.
Newcastle then countered back, and Anthony Gordon’s good work set up Jacob Ramsey’s match-winning goal.
While nobody can question Gallagher’s work rate, it’s those types of mistakes in possession that separate him from the likes of Enzo Fernandez.
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Chelsea made the right decision to sell Conor Gallagher
Of course, the main reason Chelsea wanted to sell Gallagher was that he would represent ‘pure profit’ on the balance sheet.
The £34m fee would have significantly helped them comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
However, the Blues’ decision has also been vindicated by Gallagher’s unsuccessful spell at Atletico and his difficult start at Tottenham.
The harsh reality is that he lacks the technical ability to be an integral part of an elite team, as Chelsea aspire to be.
The owners have come under major criticism for some of their controversial transfer moves, but nobody can question Gallagher’s exit anymore.
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