Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has doubled down on the club’s desire to sign Conor Gallagher permanently this summer.
Conor Gallagher has been one of the rising stars in the Premier League this season. The young midfielder has been a revelation since his loan move to Crystal Palace last summer, having become a midfield lynchpin for Patrick Vieira’s side this season.
Gallagher’s eight goals have been critical in helping the Eagles remain in contention for a top-half finish in the Premier League. He has also become a cult hero at Selhurst Park due to his aggression and determination that have left the fans impressed.
However, Gallagher’s spell at Palace will soon come to an end, with the player set to return to his parent club Chelsea at the end of the season. The Eagles, though, will try their best to hold on to their midfield asset and their chairman Steve Parish doubled down on their desire to do so, in a recent interview.
As quoted by the Independent, Parish said: “Conor’s future and that decision lies not with us but with him and Chelsea. They’re the people that have to decide. Once they decide what their choice is, they know where we are and what we want. We’re not going to pretend any different but we’ve got to respect them as a football club because he’s their player.”
Parish respects the fact that Chelsea are in control of the player’s destiny. But he suggests the door is open for Gallagher should he feel the need to continue his progress elsewhere especially ahead of the FIFA World Cup, where regular game-time could be essential in helping him make a case to England manager Gareth Southgate.
“At the end of the season he goes back to Chelsea and they’ll make their decision. Based on that, we’ll be there and if everybody thinks it’s the right thing for him to come back then we would love it. If it doesn’t work out, we wish him all the best as well,” Parish added.
Conor Gallagher has already won three caps for the English national team, but the road ahead could be tricky. Although plying his trade at Chelsea could increase his stock tenfold, it will be a challenge for him to find regular minutes under Thomas Tuchel, given the club’s quality depth in the middle of the park.
