Pochettino on collision course with Chelsea board over star player

Stuart Telford

• 16 Feb 2024 11:13 GMT
• 3 min read

Mauricio Pochettino and the Chelsea board appear to be in disagreement about Conor Gallagher's future at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino clearly rates Gallagher, who has scored three times in the last two games, in victories over Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Crystal Palace - whom he spent time on loan with two seasons ago - in the Premier League.

The England international was named as one of the club captains by Pochettino at the start of the season, but the Blues tried to sell him to Tottenham Hotspur in January, and the issue is set to flare up again in the summer, according to a report.

"Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is on a collision course with club chiefs as he fights to keep [Gallagher] at Stamford Bridge," writes The Daily Express' Fraser Watson.

Gallagher sale would be 'pure profit'

"The club's precarious situation with Financial Fair Play regulations means that summer sales will be necessary if [Todd] Boehly is to add to the £1 billion he's already splashed out since arriving at the club ahead of the 2022/23 season.

"And given he's an academy product, the 'pure profit' ruling means that selling Gallagher would benefit Chelsea's financial standing."

Gallagher is valued at €27.4m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, with an ETV of €44m, meaning the best of his career - both on and off the pitch - should still be ahead of him.

A graduate of the Chelsea academy at Cobham, Gallagher only has 18 months remaining on his current contract, however, meaning the longer the Blues wait to cash in on him the less they will be able to hold out for.

Chelsea need to raise nearly €120m this summer if they are to satisfy FFP, let alone bolster their squad for next season.

And it would seem like the squad still needs significant surgery, with the six-time champions currently languishing in 10th in the Premier League.