“Clearly enjoying himself”- Chelsea told they should have loaned out 22-year-old star this summer

Glen Johnson wanted Chelsea to send Conor Gallagher for another loan spell this summer

Speaking to SafeBettingSites (h/t Metro), former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson feels the Blues have made a mistake by not sending young midfielder Conor Gallagher for another season on loan to continue his development.

Gallagher spent the last on loan at Crystal Palace, where he became a midfield sensation and one of the best players in the league. He scored eight goals and assisted three in 34 league games and performed at the highest possible level.

This summer though, the 22-year-old England international did not go out on loan and stayed with Chelsea despite interest from Palace to get him back for another year. He has made a stuttering start to this season, with a meek show against Leeds United and a needless red card against Leicester City.

Here’s what Johnson said about why the club made a mistake in not letting him go for another loan spell (h/t Metro):

“I don’t think in terms of leaving the club, but another season on loan for Gallagher would have been great for him. Personally I would have liked him to carry on his development, he was clearly enjoying himself. I’d rather have Chelsea have let him go back out on loan and then re-evaluate the situation at the end of the season.”

Gallagher was an unused substitute in Graham Potter’s first and so far only game in charge against RB Salzburg in the Champions League. With nine games in October and options in midfield, not a lot, we can expect the 22-year-old to get some game time.

Whether Chelsea made a mistake by not sending him out for another year is a subjective question. With the evidence of how well he did at Palace last season, any club would be tempted to keep their asset and hope that he rediscovers that form for their team.

In any case, it is too early to judge Gallagher’s season at Chelsea. There are a lot of games to be played, and the 22-year-old will get minutes to prove his worth in the team.

For the player, it is the right time to work hard and catch the eyes of the manager. There is a spot in midfield up for grabs if he travels that extra yard to get it and with a new manager in Potter, it is a fresh start for him at Chelsea.

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• Real Madrid confident in signing Chelsea target Jude Bellingham next summer
• Chelsea in contention to sign RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku next summer

All that remains to be seen is if he can be as influential in the midfield of a giant club like Chelsea as he was with the Eagles last season.