“I’d be quiet positive and bullish about next season” – Rio Ferdinand names player best destined to take over from Mount at Chelsea

Rio Ferdinand has backed Conor Gallagher to break into the Chelsea first team next season. Ferdinand has further gone on to say that he believes the midfielder is destined to take over from Mason Mount.

Gallagher has been in impressive form for Crystal Palace on loan this season and is currently their top scorer in the Premier League with eight goals from 22 appearances. The loanee has managed to take his game to another level and is now touted to be the next big player to leave Stamford Bridge.

Thanks to his exploits, Palace sit 11th in the Premier League.

However, he reportedly has no intentions of staying at Palace and informed Ferdinand earlier this season that he wanted to succeed at Chelsea. The Manchester United legend tipped the loanee to follow Mount's path and said:

"It looks like he's (Gallagher) earned the right to go back to Chelsea when he's a more mature player to now see where he's at. When Mount went back, it was the same thing. They didn't have to play him."

Ferdinand added:

"Mason Mount went back to Chelsea not knowing where he was in the pecking order, not knowing if he'll get the chance. Conor Gallagher will do that and then Conor Gallagher will quickly find if he's going to get a chance or not. Then I think the decision should be to go."

The Manchester United legend believes the midfielder should be bullish about it in training and force himself into Thomas Tuchel's thoughts.

The former defender spoke highly of the midfielder in his recent FIVE video. He said:

"He's done phenomenally well at Palace this year. Goals, assists, he's impacted games, energy. In that position where he's joining from midfield and really being a threat on goal. If I was Conor Gallagher, I'd be quite positive and bullish about next season, going back into Chelsea. I think the manager spoke positively about him."

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What do Chelsea have planned for Conor Gallagher?

The Blues are yet to decide on Gallagher's future, and Tuchel has insisted that this is not the right time to discuss the subject. The German manager wants the midfielder to complete his loan at Palace and head back to Stamford Bridge for pre-season training in the summer.

Reports suggest Tuchel wanted to keep the midfielder as part of his first-team squad but the loan offer from Palace was too good to turn down. The move has worked well for all parties as Gallagher has made massive strides with respect to his development at Selhurst Park.