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Former Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge has raised questions over Conor Gallagher's calibre to be a regular starter for the Blues.
Gallagher joined the club's academy in 2008 but had to wait until last season to make his senior debut for the club. In fact, all 45 of his senior appearances for the west London giants came last term.
Gallagher managed three goals and an assist during that time, playing in a No. 8 role. Bridge, however, thinks Chelsea can do better in that position. He told Mirror:
"It's a really tough call. You see him and feel he'll put the work in and he'll graft, but I'm not 100 per cent sold if he is the right person, if he's the guy for Chelsea, and I think there should probably be better there.
"That's hard to say because you can see him and he seems like a genuine guy who will work his socks off for everything. "But I feel like he isn't a [Frank] Lampard, he isn't a [Michael] Ballack, he isn't a [Claude] Makelele, and I think maybe you need a little bit better."
Gallagher, along with Enzo Fernandez, is arguably Mauricio Pochettino's only two first-team options in central midfield. Carney Chukwuemeka, Andrey Santos (both 19) and Cesare Casadei (20) are still young and learning the trade.
Gallagher apparently attracted bids from other clubs but the Blues rejected them. His current contract runs until June 2025.
Conor Gallagher has already implied he wants Chelsea stay
Conor Gallagher has attracted interest from West Ham United and Newcastle United this summer.
The 23-year-old, however, is still at Stamford Bridge with their Premier League opener against Liverpool just a fortnight away. The Blues have sold Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N'Golo Kante and Mason Mount this summer.
Even if they succeed in their well-known pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, Gallagher should have no trouble finding regular playing time. Speaking about his future at the club last month, he said, via the Evening Standard:
"I love Chelsea, it has been a tough season for me and the whole team so I think we will just be working hard to get us back to where we belong...
"I just need to keep working hard and get a bit of my confidence back in a way. I didn’t lose it but I need to get a rhythm of playing more games, score more goals and I am trying to reach that stage."
Gallagher has featured in all four of the Blues' pre-season games in the USA so far, including the 2-0 Premier League Summer Series win against Fulham earlier today (31 July).
