A lot of Chelsea fans were left worried about their side’s prospects last summer when they parted ways with one of the players who had made the most appearances last season.
Conor Gallagher captained the Blues for a large amount of time in the previous campaign due to the ongoing injury woes of Reece James, and was seen by many as one of the best they had in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
However, an opportunity for pure profit was too much for Todd Boehly and co to turn down, and they ended up moving him on to Atletico Madrid, with Joao Felix returning to Stamford Bridge for an unsuccessful six month spell.
Gallagher has been key for Diego Simeone since making the switch to Spain, although Chelsea will boast the vastly improved performances of both Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo as reason why they were right to cash in.
Despite this, injuries to Romeo Lavia have left the duo having to take the brunt of nearly all the competitive minutes on offer this season, something the club have looked to address.
Chelsea youngster Dario Essugo dominates Conor Gallagher in big win
Andrey Santos is expected to return to the first team setup after his succesful spells on loan at Strasbourg, and the Blues added to their future depth in January with the signing of Dario Essugo.
The Las Palmas loanee was in action on Saturday nigbt agaisnt Atletico, a game where Gallagher also started in midfield.
It was the youngster who got the better of the battle, with his side scoring late to pick up a famous 1-0 win at home.
| Total | Dario Essugo | Conor Gallagher |
| Minutes | 79 | 59 |
| Tackles won | 3/3 | 1/2 |
| Shots | 2 | 1 |
| Accurate passes | 23/31 | 19/24 |
| Successful dribbles | 1/2 | 0/1 |
| Duels | 9/14 | 2/7 |
| Recoveries | 5 | 5 |
Gallagher made his name at Stamford Bridge for his ability to win the ball back in the midfield, however it was Essugo who dominated those stats when the two sides met.
Chelsea’s plan for Dario Essugo
Essugo was one of the two midfielders Chelsea signed in the January transfer window, with Mathis Amougou also joining the club.
However, while the latter is set to go on loan next season to further his development, the Sporting Lisbon man’s future is a lot more immediate.
Essugo will be part of Enzo Maresca’s squad in order to provide cover, particularly for Caicedo who has proven to be undroppable up to now.
The Blues want options though that are at the level they believe can perform at the top level, and they certainly have the faith Essugo can fill this demand.
