Dan Cook has been speaking on the HLTCO podcast about the future of their loan player Conor Gallagher.
The Chelsea man has taken to life at Selhurst Park seamlessly and has certainly endeared himself to the Crystal Palace faithful already with two goals and an assist in the six games that he’s featured in the Premier League.
Is Conor Gallagher Crystal Palace's signing of the summer?
Yes
No
Gallagher has a tough task on his hands if he wants to break into the Chelsea side, with the likes of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Jorginho ahead of him – which may have boded well for Palace in their attempts to keep him permanently, but with Newcastle under new ownership and reportedly eyeing up a move for the 21-year old, that could well see the Eagles out of the race for his signature.
Cook gave his thoughts on where Palace stand in terms of signing Gallagher permanently.
“There’s been plenty of speculation from across the media, really, as to whether or not Chelsea would deem it appropriate to give Conor Gallagher a go in their first team by the time the new season gets underway next August.
“Obviously, Crystal Palace fans are holding out hope that Conor Gallagher is going to stay as a Crystal Palace player, but I personally feel his performances in the early part of this campaign have led to so many people taking notice of him, that it’s going to be bordering on impossible to keep hold of him and retain his services for any longer than this season-long loan deal.”
TIF Thoughts on Gallagher…
It is not just Gallagher’s goals that have been impressive this season, it’s his work rate and willingness to put in the effort across the pitch – with the midfielder ranking inside the top four at Palace in terms of pressing the ball in the midfield and attacking third (FBRef), while his 40 overall successful pressures highlight that he isn’t running about aimlessly, but clearly carrying out Patrick Vieira’s instructions.
This loan deal was a sensible one for Gallagher as he was almost guaranteed regular game time given Palace’s other midfield options and also got to stay in London without having to relocate, but the temptation of playing for a club with a lot of money and ambition in the form of Newcastle could be too good to turn down, as well as the fact that, much like at Palace, he would comfortably be one of the better midfielders at the club at present based on his output so far this term.
In other news: ‘Undroppable’ – Dan Cook wowed by £1.8m-rated ‘driving force’ at CPFC