Liverpool is anticipated to make changes to their midfield this summer, and a number of candidates have been suggested as prospective candidates. One Chelsea midfielder might be the ideal fit and ultimately take the place of a crucial Jürgen Klopp piece.
Mason Mount, whose contract at Stamford Bridge has reached its last 18 months, has been linked to a move to Anfield more frequently than anybody else—aside from Jude Bellingham, who is reportedly Liverpool’s main target—in the months leading up to this summer.
However, he may not be the only England international midfielder who could be on the move at the end of this term, with Conor Gallagher’s future also reportedly up in the air.
Following a transfer splurge amounting to an eye-watering $665m (£540m/€611m) since Todd Boehly assumed the reigns as chairman, Chelsea will very likely need to balance the books this summer with Mount and Gallagher potentially heading for the exit door.
According to the ECHO, the latter could be available ahead of next season for a cut-price $49m, with several new signings now ahead of the promising star in the pecking order at the West London club.
With as many as four current first-team midfielders potentially departing Anfield this summer in the form of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keïta, James Milner and Arthur Melo, it is clear that Liverpool is in dιre need of reinforcements in this area of the pitch.
When one considers that Gallagher has started just 10 out of 28 league matches this season for Chelsea, perhaps a move to Merseyside would suit all parties, especially with Reds boss Klopp having already spoken in glowing terms about the midfielder.
Ahead of a meeting with Crystal Palace — where Gallagher spent a season-long loan last term — at Anfield last season, Klopp expressed his admiration for the 23-year-old attacking midfielder, calling him ‘really, really good’. He said: “Gallagher, I’m not sure if we can still say he’s a ‘talent’ when he plays for [England] U21, but he’s a really, really good player.”
With all of this, ties to the six-time England international do make a lot of sense, especially given the possibility that Liverpool could lose both of its homegrown midfielders, namely Oxlade-Chamberlain and Milner, this summer.
A quota of homegrown players is crucial for registration purposes if the Reds are to play continental games next season, thus it would not be sᴜrprising to see the Reds attempt to add a few more English players to the team.
Conor Gallagher of Chelsea could be an astute cut-price transfer option for Liverpool this summer.
Interestingly, two players listed by football metrics website FBref as similar based on performances in the past year are the aforementioned Bellingham and Barcelona wonderkid Gavi, who has also been linked with a possible switch to Anfield if his contract situation is not resolved at the Camp Nou.
With only one goal and one assist this season in 31 appearances, it has been a more difficult campaign this season for the English midfielder than the one he experienced with Crystal Palace last term where he impressed with eight goals and five assists in 39 appearances.
Many observers have noted that Liverpool hasn’t really found a man to step in for Gini Wijnaldum who can disrupt midfield possession and propel the team forward from deep.
Gallagher also excels at these qualities, as seen by a closer examination of his statistics from the previous year, therefore it wouldn’t be sᴜrprising to see him transformed into a role similar to that of Wijnaldum if he were to transfer to Anfield.
As per FBref, the Chelsea academy product has been in the top one per cent of all midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues in the past 365 days in terms of blocks per 90 minutes , while also being in the top twelve per cent for successful take-ons.
Furthermore, Gallagher is also in the top eight per cent for progressive passes received, demonstrating that his teammates clearly see him as a reliable outlet for a forward pass. In short, this is a player who excels at both breɑking up play and ensuring his team is quick on the transitions which would lend itself well to Klopp’s gegenpressing system.
Clearly, Liverpool needs to get this summer right in terms of signing players who can improve their fortunes after what has been an otherwise poor season.
In Gallagher, the Reds could unearth a gem, with his form last season while on loan at Crystal Palace having showcased his clear talent. Links with the England midfielder may come as a sᴜrprise to some but it is clear that his numbers earmark him as a typical ‘Klopp player’.