2 years ago
Conor Gallagher, a midfielder for Crystal Palace, once again stole the show with a fantastic brace in Patrick Vieira's side's 3-1 home triumph over Everton. The Chelsea loanee, 21, opened the score with a tidy finish before curling a gem into the upper right-hand corner in the 93rd minute. Gallagher has been dubbed one of the season's best signings since arriving at Selhurst Park on a season-long loan from the west Londoners.
All season, he has six Premier League goals and three assists, which is the same number that Blues midfielder Mason Mount had this season. Apart from Mount, no other player in Thomas Tuchel's squad has scored more goals this season than the Palace striker. Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia appears to be faced with a difficult decision about Gallagher's future at Stamford Bridge. Gallagher has yet to play for the reigning Champions League champions at the senior level.
Gallagher had already spent time on loan with Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, and West Bromwich Albion before joining the Eagles at the end of July.
His stint with the Hawthorns was very fruitful, as he was one of the brighter lights in a forgettable Baggies year.
Moving forward, Vieira expressed his excitement and happiness with Gallagher's efforts for Palace this season. After the game, the former Arsenal captain firmly declared, "There's still a lot more to come from him." "He'll have to learn to manage his strength and figure out how to best manage his energy."
"He's an incredible player to have." He gives his all for the team and has the ability to score goals." It's crucial to have a midfielder who can score 10-15 goals."
While his achievements at Palace have been nothing short of spectacular, Gallagher would still be expected to return to Chelsea, where he would face stiff competition in the midfield. Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley, and Norwich City loanee Billy Gilmour are all expected to battle for one of Tuchel's two defensive midfield roles in his 3-4-3 formation.
Gallagher would also have to battle with Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, and Timo Werner for one of the advanced midfielder places. While Loftus-Cheek has shown that any player can force their way into the starting lineup in recent weeks, carving out a spot in Tuchel's plans would be a major struggle.
Furthermore, Vieira has stated that he and Palace will evaluate their options with Gallagher at the end of the season. "We don't consider what might happen in the future," Vieira continued.
"We've had him for a year and it's been a pleasure working with him." It's a win-win situation. At the end of the season, we'll see what occurs. "What's remarkable is that we were talking about the 90th minute and he's been sprinting all over, so finding the energy to score that goal takes a lot of energy."
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