Conor Gallagher ‘ready’ to leave Chelsea as £42m West Ham United bid rejected already amid Tottenham interest
West Ham have had a bid worth £42million for Conor Gallagher rejected by Chelsea but they are willing to sell, according to The Times.
Fabrizio Romano had reported earlier on Tuesday (25 July) that the Hammers had made a £40m offer including add-ons, which was turned down, with Claret & Hugh subsequently reporting that a £42m attempt was in the works.
It appears that won’t be enough though as, whether the bid that The Times are referring to is the first or the second, Chelsea want at least £45m to let the 23-year-old academy graduate leave, but he is apparently “ready” to go.
The Times report on Tuesday: “Chelsea have rejected West Ham United’s £42million bid for Conor Gallagher but are prepared to sell the midfielder this summer.
“West Ham are unwilling to make a higher offer for the 23-year-old midfielder with Chelsea valuing Gallagher at about £45 million.
“Although Gallagher is ready to leave his boyhood club, he has two years remaining on his contract and is considered a senior midfielder with Chelsea’s limited present options.”
Fellow Cobham graduates Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have already been sold this summer, to Manchester United and AC Milan respectively.
Tottenham are also interested but there is reportedly a “reluctance over strengthening a rival club”.
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This one looks like it could go either way, with the England international probably slightly too expensive to make him an obvious target to push for, but clearly not entirely settled at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea can’t seem to decide what to do with him, as they were ready to sell him to Everton in the winter [Sky Sports, 30 January], but have now sold nearly everyone around him to leave him as their most senior midfielder at 23.
If they can’t land Moises Caicedo from Brighton then logically he isn’t going anywhere, whether that be West Ham or Tottenham.
And with the Irons interested in endless other midfielders they should be able to find others who are more affordable, with two likely needed at a minimum.
Gallagher is industrious and offers a goal threat so it is perhaps no surprise that David Moyes would be interested in him, even if his reputation has taken a hit in the past year amid chaos at Stamford Bridge, following a stand-out loan spell at Crystal Palace.
It could be one that goes down towards deadline day if the Hammers want to test Chelsea’s resolve, but that would surely only be a viable option if at least one has already been brought in sooner.
In other West Ham news, a Sky Sports update has put the Irons in line to finally land one of their many Rice replacement targets amid “positive” talks.