Conor Gallagher could have taken one step closer to sealing an exit from Chelsea after Borussia Dortmund made their first official move. football.london understands the midfielder also has interest from Tottenham and that there is an expectation he will depart the club this summer.
Late into the January transfer window, a £45million offer arrived from Everton but that proposal was turned down by the Blues. Six months later, however, if a similar bid comes in a move for Gallagher will likely be sanctioned. Chelsea are looking to generate significant funds to meet an FFP deadline and a possible transfer for the 23-year-old looks to have gotten closer.
According to a report by the Mail, Dortmund have enquired over the availability of Gallagher but are yet to submit a bid as they hope to find a replacement for Jude Bellingham who joined Real Madrid earlier in the window. Chelsea are more inclined to sell other players over Gallagher but at the right price, which is believed to be around £50million, an exit will be green-lit.
Gallagher's stance on his future was made clear recently though with his clear admission after England's win against North Macedonia. "I love Chelsea," he told the Evening Standard. "It has been a tough season for me and the whole team so I think we will just be working hard to get us back to where we belong."
Nonetheless, first-team assurances are unlikely from Mauricio Pochettino for Gallagher which makes his immediate future unknown. The Blues have already sanctioned lucrative exits for Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic while Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech are all set to join N'Golo Kante in Saudi Arabia.
Mason Mount is set to be the recipient of a third bid from Manchester United after Chelsea lowered the asking price down to £60million. Romelu Lukaku, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic also look likely to move on, with AC Milan showing an interest in all three after they agreed to sell Sandro Tonali to Newcastle for £60million.
However, with his contract expiring in 2025, if a healthy bid does arrive from either Dortmund or Spurs, it will likely be accepted as Chelsea may want to avoid a similar saga next summer that they currently find themselves in with Mount.
The lofty price tag could be a stumbling block for Dortmund especially as they are looking to strike a Bellingham transfer repeat. According to our sister title, Manchester Evening News, Dortmund are interested in signing Hannibal Mejbri who enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at Birmingham last season.
Who should Chelsea keep or sell this summer...?
