Chelsea star ready to quit club after transfer policy threatens starting XI place: report

By
published

Chelsea are huge spenders in the transfer market, and one player looks to have grown tired of the constant arrivals at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino pictured during a Chelsea press conference in August 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea have are at risk of losing a player who has started all five Premier League games under Mauricio Pochettino this season, with new summer signings threatening his place in the starting XI.

Since co-owner Todd Boehly took over the club in May 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1bn in just three transfer windows on 28 new players. 

That policy in the transfer market has seen multiple high-profile departures, including academy graduates like Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lewis Hall as the dealmakers attempt to balance the books, and it seems more will follow suit as Pochettino continues to rebuild the squad.

Moises Caicedo of Chelsea runs during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Luton Town at Stamford Bridge on August 25, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Signings like Caicedo have threatened the places of regular starters (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Football Insider, Conor Gallagher could look to move away from Stamford Bridge in the near future if his game time becomes more limited once new signings Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, as well as Carney Chukwuemeka, all return from injury.

Despite having started all five of Chelsea's games in the Premier League this season, most recently as captain against Bournemouth during the 0-0 draw, Gallagher could consider quitting the club in order to play regular football and maintain his place in the England squad.

Tottenham Hotspur were heavily linked with signing the 23-year-old in the summer transfer window, with West Ham United also interested. Neither were willing to match Chelsea's £50m valuation of the central midfielder, though, and Gallagher remained at his boyhood club as he continued to start games.

Conor Gallagher reacts after a missed chance in Chelsea's goalless draw at Bournemouth in September 2023.

Gallagher captained Chelsea against Bournemouth (Image credit: Getty Images)

However, with Lavia's and Caicedo's arrival at the club, Gallagher's place in the team is threatened - especially when considering the pair arrived for a combined £170m. 

Gallagher, meanwhile, will have just 18 months remaining on his contract come January, and the Chelsea hierarchy could look to cash in on him then if he expresses his desire to move away, instead of potentially losing him for free in 2025. 

More Chelsea stories

Reece James has emerged as a transfer target for Real Madrid, who are seeking a long-term successor to Dani Carvajal.

Chelsea legend John Terry has urged the club's fans to "not to be too harsh" to Mason Mount after his switch to Manchester United.

And Enzo Fernandez, who only joined Chelsea in January, is already considering his future at Stamford Bridge according to one report.

Ryan Dabbs
Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.