Chelsea open to extending contract of star who has been linked with an exit - Reports

Chelsea are keeping their options open regarding the future of midfielder Conor Gallagher at the club.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth claimed that the Blues were interested in extending Gallagher's stay but were also willing to listen to offers for him.

The 23-year-old is reported to have interest in him from different teams in the Premier League, with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur among his suitors.

The reporter said:

"West Ham United are definitely interested in him. He's played a big role, though, in pre-season for Chelsea. He played in both of their opening two games and scored in their matches as well."

"He's got two years left on his contract. I'm told that Chelsea are open to extending his contract, but I don't think you can rule out a departure," Sheth added.

The Blues have already lost multiple midfielders this window. N'Golo Kante departed the club on his contract expiry, while the likes of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were sold. They are currently lacking in midfield options within the club.

Youngsters Andrey Santos and Cesare Casadei have been played in the middle of the park in the pre-season games alongside Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez.

Mauricio Pochettino's team is keen on adding a midfielder to the squad. They have long been interested in Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, while they could also meddle with Liverpool's move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.

Gallagher rose up through Chelsea's youth setup before playing key roles in loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace. He made 45 appearances for the team last season, bagging three goals and one assist. He also got on the scoresheet in the pre-season fixtures against Wrexham and Brighton.

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PL rivals out of race for Chelsea midfielder

Gallagher's future at the club is up in the air.

West Ham United have dropped their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. According to Sean Whetstone, the Hammers dropped out of the race for the player after he stated that he wanted to fight for his place at the club.

Reports earlier this week suggested that West Ham were confident of reaching an agreement for the player. Fabrizio Romano reported that they had a bid worth £40 million rejected.

David Moyes' side lost Declan Rice to Arsenal this window on a massive £105 million deal. They will be looking to reinvest some of that money into developing the squad and have also been linked to Southampton's James Ward-Prowse and Manchester City youngster Carlos Borges.