Pochettino declassifies Chelsea plan to make midfield signing after addressing Conor Gallagher exit links
Mauricio Pochettino has addressed the future of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher
Chelsea are working on the addition of “at least one more” midfielder this summer, Mauricio Pochettino has revealed after Conor Gallagher was linked with an exit.
Chelsea have already lost a number of senior midfielders from their squad this year. Back in January, they sold Jorginho to Arsenal ahead of his contract expiring. Since then, they have more recently offloaded N’Golo Kante to Al Ittihad, Mason Mount to Man Utd, Mateo Kovacic to Man City and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to AC Milan.
Therefore, just a few months after the club-record capture of Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea find themselves needing to reinforce their midfield again to bring their squad depth back up.
They have been trying to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton, for example, but do have some other possible targets on the agenda.
Now, head coach Pochettino has given some inside information on what Chelsea want to do with their midfield.
“At the moment, we are working to reinforce that area, and other areas also,” he told reporters at a press conference while on tour in the USA.
“I think the players that are here on the tour are in our plans, Chelsea plans. At the moment, nothing to say about the players we have here.
“We are working very hard to try to add more players in different areas and hope that is possible soon.”
Asked how many reinforcements his midfield needs after the plethora of exits, Pochettino replied: “It depends on the situation of different players.
“We need at least one more and we are working on that. It depends on what happens in the next few weeks. We will decide and take our decision.”
As for whether just one will be enough, the recently appointed boss said: “That is the idea. We are working, the club is working on that.
“We need to add some player there. We need one more with experience.”
Pochettino keen to keep Gallagher at Chelsea
Chelsea’s need for a new midfielder may increase if they suffer from yet another departure after Gallagher was the subject of a bid by West Ham.
Tottenham have also been credited with an interest in Gallagher, who is valued by Chelsea at around £50m, according to sources such as talkSPORT and 90min.
Gallagher earned his first 45 appearances for Chelsea’s senior team last season after previously gaining experience on loan at Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Brom and Crystal Palace.
However, he started fewer than half of their Premier League matches, so might be able to find a bigger role elsewhere.
Pochettino, though, insists he has a place in his plans for Gallagher.
“Both parts have to say and have to agree,” Pochettino said. “At the moment, nothing to say.
“Conor is in our plans, I was talking with him the first day I arrive. In football, things can happen we cannot manage. At the moment, I am happy with him and his performance, he has two years on his contract. Nothing to say.”
