In a recent report, talkSPORT revealed that West Ham United are facing stiff competition for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. It is believed that the Hammers would have to rival Everton, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace in pursuit of the English talent.
Gallagher’s Growing Struggles In West London This Season
Gallagher has struggled to give a good account of himself at Stamford Bridge during this campaign as he has failed to be consistent with his performances at the centre of Graham Potter’s midfield. The Epsom-born midfield ace has been involved in 25 matches for the Blues this season, scoring one goal and securing one assist in the process across multiple competitions.
The 22-year-old has made half of his league appearances off the bench which explains why he is only averaging 1.4 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 0.6 shots and 0.8 key passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He has been tidy when distributing the ball from midfield after completing 82.2% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Gallagher is under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2025. Hence, West Ham would find it difficult to land him next summer.
West Ham United Face Stiff Competition For Gallagher: Is He Worth The Fight?
Gallagher loves a tackle and was full of energy and running at the centre of the park. He can strike the ball purely from long range and can engineer some meaningful openings for his teammates in the final third. However, the English playmaker has struggled to be consistent for the Blues this season. Gallagher is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can also operate as a defensive midfielder or function in the number ten position if needed.
Still, there is no denying that he needs regular playing time if he wants to become a better footballer on the field. West Ham can definitely offer him a regular starting spot at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
Gallagher is good enough to add more energy and dynamism to David Moyes‘ midfield at the East London club. Hence, he is well worth the fight as long as the Hammers have the funds to arrange a move for him at the end of this campaign.
At 22, Gallagher has his best years ahead of him and could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for a club like West Ham in the long run. However, the youngster is far from a finished product and would need time before he can be a consistent performer at the highest level.
