Conor Gallagher has been linked with a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur since this past summer, but that move never panned out. Those rumors are back now and are picking up some serious steam. Gianluca DiMarzio is reporting on his website this morning that Spurs and Chelsea are in active talks over a potential transfer of Gallagher when the January transfer window opens.
DiMarzio mentions a possible transfer fee of “40m.” It’s not clear whether he means €40m, or £40m, but considering DiMarzio’s website is in Italian and mostly deals with continental transfer rumors, I suspect it’s in Euros. Regardless, that’s not a bad price for an experienced young midfielder whom Ange Postecoglou clearly admires and desires. But the deal itself might be structured differently, possibly as a loan with a purchase option or obligation rather than a straight purchase. Or it might not happen at all! But it certainly does seem like one to track.
But it sure is an eye opener for reasons other than the price. I did a little research this morning — while there have been a few player moves between the clubs over the years, the last time that a Chelsea first team (not youth) player was actually sold for real money to Tottenham Hotspur was Gus Poyet in the summer of 2001. In the Premier League era, these clubs just don’t do business with each other, or at least they didn’t until Roman Abramovich sold the club to Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly. This truly is a new era. Transfers between Chelsea and Tottenham, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!
We know that due to the injury crisis at Spurs, Ange Postecoglou wants new players in as quickly as possible. Chelsea might not feel the same amount of urgency, however it does seem like this, along with a new central defender, is a move Tottenham are trying to get across the line as soon as possible.