Brighton have overtaken Newcastle as favourites in the race to sign the sought after Chelsea and England midfielder Conor Gallager.
The Seagulls are 3/1 with talkSPORT BET’s transfer odds to sign the England international with Chelsea in needing to trim down their squad and the midfielder uncertain of a starting berth next season.
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Gallagher was scouted by the Chelsea academy at the age of eight and has been with the club ever since, being sent on loan a number of times before finally breaking into the senior team last season.
The 23-year-old made 45 appearances for the Blues in what was a disappointing campaign for the club as they fell to a far below par 12th place finish in the league, despite having spent upwards of half a billion pounds in the transfer market.
All the new signings into the Chelsea squad means the club have to balance out the numbers this summer, with new manager Mauricio Pochettino being forced to sell a number of his quality players in order to trim the squad down.
Gallagher is thought to be one of the players to leave the west London club, with the central midfielder in high demand.
Newcastle had been the favourites to sign the England international as recently as yesterday but Brighton are now the frontrunners in the race to sign the midfielder.
The Seagulls’ odds dropped from 7/1 to 3/1 overnight as their staff search for a direct replacement for Alexis Mac Allister, the talented World Cup winner who has already departed the Amex Stadium for Anfield this summer.
Another Brighton midfielder likely to be exiting the club is Moises Caicedo, the highly talented 21-year-old looks likely to be on his way to Stamford Bridge, leaving Gallagher as a potential like for like replacement.
Should Caicedo join Mac Allister in leaving, Roberto de Zerbi will only have Pascal Gross, Billy Gilmour and Jakub Moder as their senior central midfielders.
The former of which is 32 and spent the a large chunk of last season playing right back, while Gilmour only played 500 minutes of top flight football last season and Moder missed the entire season through injury.
The Seagulls would also be able to offer Gallagher European football next season, with their sixth place finish meaning they will be competing in the Europa League group stage come September.
Conor Gallagher Next Club Odds (talkSPORT BET)
- Brighton – 3/1
- Newcastle – 7/2
- West Ham – 6/1
- Any German club – 8/1
- Any MLS club – 10/1
- Everton – 12/1
- Any French club – 12/1
- Any Italian club – 12/1
- Any Spanish club – 12/1
- Crystal Palace – 14/1
- Fulham – 20/1
- Manchester United – 20/1
See all odds here with talkSPORT BET
Newcastle had previously been the favourites to sign Gallagher but their odds slipped to 7/2 overnight following renewed speculation from Brighton.
The Magpies defied many people’s expectations by securing themselves a fourth place finish in the Premier League last season, securing Champions League football for the first time since 2003.
Eddie Howe will need to have a busy transfer window in preparation for the increased workload and busier calendar next season, and will need to improve on the strength and depth of his current squad.
Gallagher could well tick both boxes for Howe, as someone who is both young and experienced, having amassed just shy of 100 appearances already and appeared in the Champions League before.
West Ham have also been linked with a move for the Chelsea midfielder, likely as a potential back up for the seemingly outward bound Declan Rice.
The Hammers won their first trophy in 43 years last season as they lifted the Europa Conference League, but only managed to stutter to a 14th place finish in the Premier League, having finished in the top seven in the previous two seasons.
David Moyes will be eager to improve his squad’s strength and depth too as they aim to break back into the Premier League’s top half as well as compete in next season’s Europa League.
German giants Borussia Dortmund are reported have had had their ears pricked up by the news Gallagher could be on the move this summer, and Gallagher has been given odds of 8/1 to make the move to Germany.
The Bundesliga runners up have had to deal with departure of star player Jude Bellingham this summer to Real Madrid, and a like for like English replacement could be perfect for the club.
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