“He must wear a Chelsea shirt come February” - Joe Cole impressed by 23-year-old star during Blues’ win against Fulham

Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has lauded Conor Gallagher for his display against Fulham, claiming that he should remain with the Blues next month.

Gallagher has been the subject of transfer speculation during the ongoing winter transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur interested in him (via GiveMeSport). The 23-year-old's future at Stamford Bridge is in doubt as his contract expires next summer, with no concrete progress made on an extension.

Despite the rumors, Gallagher has been a fixture in his side's starting line-up, often worn the captain's armband with captain Reece James currently out injured. He did so against Fulham on Saturday, January 13, as well, leading them to a 1-0 win in the Premier League.

While Cole Palmer scored the winner from the spot in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, Gallagher was one of the Blues' best performers. He completed 88% of his passes and laid out two key passes, while making a clearance and two interceptions. The midfielder also struck the woodwork with a shot.

This brought him praise from Cole, who was on punditry duty for TNT Sports. The Englishman, who played 281 times and won 10 trophies with the London giants between 2003 and 2010, said (as quoted by The Chelsea Chronicle):

“Conor Gallagher was outstanding again and that is another conundrum the club has to solve. He must wear a Chelsea shirt come February, that’s for sure.”

Overall, Gallagher has started 20 of his team's 21 Premier League matches this term, missing just one game due to a suspension. In those outings, he has recorded four assists while averaging 1.4 key passes, 1.4 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 5.8 duels won and 6.9 recoveries per game.

He has also played in all six of their cup games this term (five in the EFL Cup and one in the FA Cup).

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Chelsea unlikely to sell Conor Gallagher in January - Reports

Despite earlier reports indicating that Chelsea want to sell Conor Gallagher in this transfer window, the latest rumors suggest that they may not do so.

According to The Sun, neither Gallagher nor the Blues want him to leave this month despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The report stated that manager Mauricio Pochettino believes selling the Englishman would be a mistake.

The Sun added that Gallagher may not necessarily be a part of Pochettino's future plans. However, the Chelsea academy gradute, who is believed to be a fan favorite, is considered an important part of the club's current set-up.