Chelsea make shock SWAP offer for Euro 2024 star

Carlo Garganese

14 Jul 2024 05:30 CDT
3 min read

Chelsea are working on a shock swap deal that will see Ollie Watkins join the club in exchange for Conor Gallagher.

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That is according to Football Insider, who report that Chelsea are ready to offer money plus Gallagher for the Aston Villa striker.

Chelsea are in the market this summer for a top-class striker, and Watkins has now moved to the top of their shortlist.

Watkins enjoyed a brilliant 2023-24 season, scoring 19 goals and providing 13 assists in the Premier League to shoot Villa into the Champions League.

He has also impressed at Euro 2024 by scoring the last minute winner for England against Netherlands in the semi final on Wednesday.

Chelsea are ready to offer Gallagher in part exchange.

The Blues have put Gallagher up for sale for a few important financial reasons.

First of all, following two years of record spending, Chelsea need to sell players in order to not fall foul of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Secondly, Gallagher is one of the few players with heavy interest who can guarantee a big profit in this regard.

Thirdly, Gallagher’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in 2025 and Chelsea cannot afford to lose him on a free transfer.

The Athletic reported last month that Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in signing Gallagher.

However, Give Me Sport report that Gallagher has no intention of leaving this summer and will not consider an exit.

Will Gallagher leave Chelsea?

Gallagher was the subject of many reports over the January transfer window, with Tottenham said to have been very interested in signing the England midfielder.

The 24-year-old has been at Chelsea since he was a youth player from 2008.

After a series of loan moves he established himself as a regular in the first team, and in total he has made 95 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals.

He was one of the few players to come out of the 2023-24 season with any credit as Chelsea endured another miserable campaign.

Gallagher is playing for England at Euro 2024 alongside Watkins.