Conor Gallagher | Everton make 40m + 5m bid?

Classical Mechanic

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Chelsea have the best academy in the world, no debate, only Ajax(?) comes close possibly.
If you look at the UEFA Youth League which started in 2013-14, Chelsea have appeared in 4 finals winning 2. The other sides to feature prominently are Benfica with 3 final defeats and Barcelona with 2 final appearances, both of which were won.
 

MUFCAFC

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I mentioned before but it was obvious watching him at Charlton that he was going to make it. He really can do it all.

I was speaking to a Palace fan on Saturday, he said that Gallagher is the best player he’s seen at Selhurst Park in the last 20 years. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t think of too many (any) world beaters that they’ve had— but it’s still a huge compliment.
 
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WeePat

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If you look at the UEFA Youth League which started in 2013-14, Chelsea have appeared in 4 finals winning 2. The other sides to feature prominently are Benfica with 3 final defeats and Barcelona with 2 final appearances, both of which were won.
Damn Guttmann didn't even spare the kids.
 

WeePat

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I mentioned before but it was obvious watching him at Charlton that he was going to make it. He really can do it all.

I was speaking to a Palace fan on Saturday, he said that Gallagher is the best player he’s seen at Selhurst Park in the last 20 years. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t think of too many (any) world beaters that they’ve had— but it’s still a huge compliment.
I couple of months into that Charlton loan, I was pretty certain he had what it took take be a difference maker in the PL. It was a bit harsh on Charlton but it spoke volumes about how Chelsea viewed him too when they recalled him and sent him on loan to playoff chasing team so he could play with better players.
 

MUFCAFC

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I couple of months into that Charlton loan, I was pretty certain he had what it took take be a difference maker in the PL. It was a bit harsh on Charlton but it spoke volumes about how Chelsea viewed him too when they recalled him and sent him on loan to playoff chasing team so he could play with better players.
It was harsh but I can see why and it’s their choice at the end of the day. There was a feeling amongst some of us that maybe Chelsea thought we were running him into the ground a little too much as well. He was that important we couldn’t really afford to give him any minutes off.
 

Classical Mechanic

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It’s just a golden period for the club. I imagine the academy pipeline may dry up eventually.
It already has really. Chelsea haven't won the FA Youth Cup in 3 seasons now after winning 7/9 with the players that we see now making a difference in the Premier League. Chelsea are still up there but no longer completely bossing it.
 

Shipperley

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I was speaking to a Palace fan on Saturday, he said that Gallagher is the best player he’s seen at Selhurst Park in the last 20 years. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t think of too many (any) world beaters that they’ve had— but it’s still a huge compliment.
I think that's a bit OTT to be fair, our current number 11 has pretty much kept us in the division single-handedly at times, playing as the only attacking outlet under dross managers like Pardew, Pulis and Allardyce. No doubt Conor is a great talent though, kind of reminds me of when we had Ashley Cole on loan in the early 2000s, he was a standout from the get-go as well.

You also just reminded me that Edgar Davids played a few games for us in 2010...definitely a world beater but unfortunately not for us :D
 

SirReginald

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It already has really. Chelsea haven't won the FA Youth Cup in 3 seasons now after winning 7/9 with the players that we see now making a difference in the Premier League. Chelsea are still up there but no longer completely bossing it.
Honestly titles mean feck all. It was nice winning them over and over again but how many players out of any youth team make it? Some of these age groups are carried by a single player.

Youth success is judged on the quality of the players coming through and the development that goes into them. We don’t go out and buy players from other countries as much as Utd and City do. Most of of efforts are going towards local players and the level of the players that have come out are higher than pretty much any team in England right now as a whole.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Honestly titles mean feck all. It was nice winning them over and over again but how many players out of any youth team make it? Some of these age groups are carried by a single player.

Youth success is judged on the quality of the players coming through and the development that goes into them. We don’t go out and buy players from other countries as much as Utd and City do. Most of of efforts are going towards local players and the level of the players that have come out are higher than pretty much any team in England right now as a whole.
Chelsea winning 7 out of 9 FA Youth Cups was cleary a sign of uncommon strength in the academy which has reaped rich rewards. It's unlikely that Chelsea will have have that success rate and subsequent hit rate of players making the top level again.

United did buy a lot of foreign talent just before Brexit but in the 2020 FA Youth Cup final when you lost to City they only started with 1 non-England qualified player whilst Chelsea started with 2. I'm not sure even the United u18s is much different to to Chelsea in terms of nationality make-up.
 

AltiUn

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Honestly titles mean feck all. It was nice winning them over and over again but how many players out of any youth team make it? Some of these age groups are carried by a single player.

Youth success is judged on the quality of the players coming through and the development that goes into them. We don’t go out and buy players from other countries as much as Utd and City do. Most of of efforts are going towards local players and the level of the players that have come out are higher than pretty much any team in England right now as a whole.
Nah, that really isn't true, especially at youth level.
 

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Great goal tonight. Limbs everywhere.


 

Champ

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Great goal tonight. Limbs everywhere.


Didn't play that well tonight, was chasing most of the game, but took his goal extremely well.
Certainly looks a talent but can't see him back at Chelsea,
 

Zoo

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The Chelsea academy is pretty insane. He’s a very good player.
 

Chipper

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Didn't play that well tonight, was chasing most of the game, but took his goal extremely well.
Certainly looks a talent but can't see him back at Chelsea,
Don't see him back at Chelsea either but currently got to be on the radar of a number of clubs. Not sure Palace can afford to keep him, but West Ham, Everton, Villa, Leicester, maybe even Spurs or Arsenal are the type of club who I'd guess could be in for him if staying in England. Certainly has ability.

Edit: Then there's Newcastle with their new-found wealth.
 

WeePat

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Didn't play that well tonight, was chasing most of the game, but took his goal extremely well.
Certainly looks a talent but can't see him back at Chelsea,
Brighton are an excellent possession team. I don't think there's any question about him being back at Chelsea at next season at this point. Tuchel is a big fan.
 

Powderfinger

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I like him a lot, but I wonder a bit about his best positional fit. He feels a bit like Aaron Ramsey. I'm not sure he has the technical security and playmaking ability you would expect from a 10 in a big club or from one of the wing/attacking midfield positions in a system like Tuchel's 3-4-3, at least as played by a top team. On the other hand, I'm not sure he has the positional discipline or passing range to be a good fit for a double pivot. He seems perfect for either an attacking 8 in a 4-3-3 or as the 10 in a team like West Ham that just wants him to get around the pitch, crash the box, and create havoc.
 

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Tuchel would have to change to a 433 if he's going to stay at Chelsea.
 

Zaphod2319

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Tuchel would have to change to a 433 if he's going to stay at Chelsea.
Recently he has a 4-2-2-2 that looks like a 4-2-4 when we have possession against a team and he has also played a 4-3-3. I think once he has the players he trusts it will be a four at the back.
 

Rajiztar

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I like him a lot, but I wonder a bit about his best positional fit. He feels a bit like Aaron Ramsey. I'm not sure he has the technical security and playmaking ability you would expect from a 10 in a big club or from one of the wing/attacking midfield positions in a system like Tuchel's 3-4-3, at least as played by a top team. On the other hand, I'm not sure he has the positional discipline or passing range to be a good fit for a double pivot. He seems perfect for either an attacking 8 in a 4-3-3 or as the 10 in a team like West Ham that just wants him to get around the pitch, crash the box, and create havoc.
Mate he is just a kid. You talk about him like he is in his prime. Like every kid he need to improve things.
 

Shipperley

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Mate he is just a kid. You talk about him like he is in his prime. Like every kid he need to improve things.
He’ll improve by playing though, that’s the quandry. Will he come back to Chelsea at a level that gives him enough playing time? We shall see I guess.
 

giorno

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He’ll improve by playing though, that’s the quandry. Will he come back to Chelsea at a level that gives him enough playing time? We shall see I guess.
Yep. Should just let him stay at palace for the next, oh, 3 years? :D
 

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I wouldn’t be that surprised to see palace stump up a smaller fee but with a fair buy back for Chelsea. I think he’s their best prospect but midfielders need games, so many games. Asking someone to come in every so often and run the middle of the pitch with high enough intensity and creativity isn’t usually going to work out. These things come through trust repetition and knowing where your team mates are going to go. Bit like watching the technically excellent Thiago come in and struggle to get going last season. It takes time.
 

WeePat

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What a goal this was.


He's up to 14 goals and assists (7 goals and 7 assists) in 19 starts.
 

AltiUn

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He got player of the match? On purpose? He was invisible, you wouldn't have even known he was playing till he was subbed off.
 

Nfplee

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I'm becoming more impressed with him. He could become the work horse in midfield we've missed since Herrera left and also offers some quality from set plays.
 

SirReginald

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I'm becoming more impressed with him. He could become the work horse in midfield we've missed since Herrera left and also offers some quality from set plays.
I don’t think there’s much chance of us selling him to you guys. But crazier things have happened. Tuchel likes the boy, think he will be in our squad next season if we get the house in order.
 

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No way, does this boy not go back to Chelsea next season.
 

WeePat

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No way, does this boy not go back to Chelsea next season.
The only question is if he comes back to be an outright starter like Mount or part of the rotation like Chalobah. There's little to no chance he isn't playing for us next season.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

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certainly will offer more than saul, loftus cheek and barkley based on this season
RLC plays a different role - Gallagher isn't a player for the double pivot, he's more of an 8/10 hybrid like Mount. That said he'll certainly be far more of an asset than that dipshit Barkley.