Borussia Dortmund eye Chelsea star Conor Gallagher as Jude Bellingham replacement
Borussia Dortmund have a huge Jude Bellingham-shaped hole to fill in the centre of the park, and they have apparently earmarked Chelsea star Conor Gallagher for that.
Gallagher has been on Chelsea’s books for the entirety of his professional career. But he had to wait until the 2022-23 season to make his senior debut for the club following a stellar season at Crystal Palace on loan.
He was used very frequently by Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, as he ended the season with 45 appearances. It remains to be seen what role he will hold under Mauricio Pochettino.
That could obviously have some sort of an impact on Gallagher’s future here. If Poch doesn’t want him, it won’t make sense for the 23-year-old to waste the best years of his career on our bench.
What next for Gallagher?
But that isn’t something that is clear at this point. Dortmund, meanwhile, recently sold Bellingham to Real Madrid for an initial fee of £88.5million and are now wanting Gallagher to replace him.
This is according to BILD journalist Christian Falk, who exclusively told CaughtOffside:
“The interest in Conor Gallagher is very concrete and for months already. Now they see they need a player like Jude Bellingham, not just playing like Bellingham, but also showcasing an ability to play as a 6, 8 or 10. Dortmund see these things in Gallagher.”
Gallagher still has two years left on his contract (Transfermarkt). He didn’t show a lot to be happy about last season but neither did most of his teammates here.
Gallagher’s spell at Crystal Palace showed he was capable of being a regular starter in the heart of a Premier League club’s midfield. Whether he can build on that and upgrade himself to be a regular at Chelsea is another question.
More Chelsea News:
- Chelsea winger Noni Madueke promises fans to show them the real him on the field next season
- RB Leipzig want €100 million for Chelsea and Real Madrid target Josko Gvardiol
- Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo close to agreeing personal terms with Chelsea
The England international recently revealed that he wanted to work with Pochettino ahead of the new season and expressed his love for his boyhood club. It seems evident he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge but what if Dortmund make a huge bid? Let’s see. They surely have the money for it now after Bellingham’s sale.
