Chelsea make transfer decision that could unlock major deal

Tom Weber

• Updated: 20 Jan 2024 15:25 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea have recalled Cesare Casadei and are reportedly planning to keep him around the first team.

The Blues have made the decision to bring the talented Italian midfielder back from his loan in the Championship. Though he made 22 appearances at high-flying Leicester City, the former Inter wonderkid did not manage to nail down a regular starting spot.

Casadei has become the third Chelsea loanee to be recalled this month, with David Datro Fofana leaving Union Berlin to join Burnley and Andrey Santos returning from Nottingham Forest. The latter could be loaned out anew after his return, but it is a different story for Casadei.

The physical midfielder will reportedly be kept in Mauricio Pochettino's squad, and this decision could hold a clue as to what the future will hold for one of the Argentine's favoured players.

Casadei to unlock Gallagher deal?

The player in question, of course, is Conor Gallagher. The Blues are said to be willing to cash in on the Cobham graduate despite him having emerged as Pochettino's most important - and Chelsea's most reliable - midfielder this term.

Tottenham are the club who are most keen on securing Gallagher's signature, though it is unclear whether they will be able to pursue a January move. Spurs are pretty much the only big Premier League side able to splash the cash this month and they are already one of January's biggest spenders.

Whether they will ultimately stump up the hefty fee required to sign the England international remains to be seen, but Chelsea's decision to keep Casadei around suggests that Gallagher could be on the way out. If Spurs were to launch an unexpected bid and he really were to leave in January, there would be a player ready to come in and provide cover.