Chelsea boss Frank Maresca has given an ambiguous answer to the question of the future destination of his team's midfield general Gallagher in a recent interview. He admitted that Gallagher has attracted strong interest from other clubs, but Maresca chose to remain silent on the specifics of a transfer.
According to reliable sources, Atletico Madrid have made an offer of around €34 million to Chelsea with the intention of bringing in the talented midfielder this summer. The La Liga powerhouse's pursuit of Gallagher didn't happen overnight, and although the player himself has yet to nod his head in agreement with the transfer, negotiations between the two clubs seem to have entered a relatively deep stage. It is worth noting that Chelsea were expecting a transfer fee closer to £50 million, however, as Atletico Madrid are not direct Premier League rivals, this factor has gone some way towards giving Chelsea an edge in the negotiations.
Gallagher himself has also appeared quite adamant on the issue of contract renewal. He has reportedly rejected two new contract offers from Chelsea, which not only included sizable salary increases, but also put him among Chelsea's high-earning players. However, Gallagher doesn't seem to be buying into the two-year contract with a one-year extension option. He is about to enter the final year of his current contract, which makes him even more valuable in the transfer market.
Maresca was tight-lipped about Gallagher's future in the interview, but revealed that he will have a face-to-face meeting with Gallagher when the team returns to their training base in Cobham. He emphasized that his main focus is still on the team's warm-up matches and that he is reluctant to comment too much on the transfer rumors.
Gallagher is expected to return to Chelsea's training base in the coming days along with Palmer and Cucurelia and join up with his teammates who have returned from pre-season. The youth player is not only technically impressive, but also carries Chelsea's expectations for the future. Whether he stays or goes is not only related to the depth of Chelsea's squad, but may also affect the team's competitiveness in the Premier League.
