Chelsea Football Club is reportedly working on a surprising swap deal that could see Ollie Watkins join the team in exchange for Conor Gallagher. This news comes from Football Insider, which reports that Chelsea is prepared to offer money plus Gallagher to secure the Aston Villa striker.
Chelsea has been actively seeking a top-class striker this summer, and it appears that Watkins has now moved to the top of their shortlist. The Aston Villa forward had an impressive 2023-24 season, scoring 19 goals and providing 13 assists in the Premier League fixtures. His performance played a significant role in propelling Villa into the Champions League.
Watkins also made his mark at Euro 2024 by scoring a last-minute winner for England against Netherlands in the Euro semi-final on Wednesday.
Conor Gallagher wants to stay
Chelsea's decision to offer Conor Gallagher as part of the exchange deal for Ollie Watkins is driven by several financial considerations. Firstly, Chelsea has been on a spending spree for two years and needs to sell players to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Gallagher, who has attracted significant interest from other clubs, can guarantee a substantial profit in this regard. Secondly, his contract at Stamford Bridge is due to expire in 2025, and Chelsea cannot afford the risk of losing him on a free transfer. Despite reports last month that Aston Villa was interested in signing Gallagher, recent reports suggest that he has no intention of leaving this summer and will not consider an exit.
Conor Gallagher is hot in the market
Gallagher's future at Chelsea has been subject of speculation over recent months. During January's transfer window period Tottenham was said have shown keen interest in signing him up. The England midfielder has been with Chelsea since he was just eight years old back in 2008. After several loan moves, he established himself as a regular in the first team. He has made 95 appearances for the club so far, scoring 10 goals.
Despite Chelsea's disappointing campaign in the 2023-24 season, Conor Gallagher was one of the few players to emerge with any credit. Currently, he is playing for England at Euro 2024 alongside Watkins.
The potential swap deal between Chelsea and Aston Villa involving Watkins and Gallagher will undoubtedly be closely watched by sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike. It remains to be seen how this transfer saga unfolds over the coming weeks.
