"It’s vital for the club to keep him" - Joe Cole urges Chelsea to block sale of £40 million star

Joe Cole has urged Chelsea to keep hold of Conor Gallagher amid reports that the club are looking to sell him. He believes that the midfielder is vital for the team on the pitch and is someone who drives the players.

Cole claimed on talkSPORT that he would advise the Chelsea owners against the sale of Gallagher this summer if he were to meet them. He added that the Englishman is key for the club, saying:

"If I was sitting in front of the Chelsea owners, I would be telling them that Conor is arguably the most important player in the dressing room,' Cole, who spent seven years at Chełsea. Before you even talk about what he does on the pitch, he understands the club.

"During the difficult times you see what a player is worth and Conor was always there and available and driving the team on. I think it's vital for the club to keep him. I'll admit I don't understand the financial side of it but purely from a football point of view, he's in the top-three most important players in the dressing room."

The Blues are reportedly looking to sell Conor Gallagher this summer to balance their books. They are looking for £40 million for the midfielder, with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur interested in signing him.

He has been a key player for the west London side, registering seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances across competitions this season.

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Former Chelsea star tells club to keep Conor Gallagher

Andy Townsend was also on talkSPORT and echoed the thoughts of Joe Cole. The former midfielder added that he would advise Enzo Maresca, who is set to become Chelsea's new manager, to ensure that the club don't sell the Englishman.

He said:

"I thought Conor Gallagher had a really good season. I thought he played some really good stuff. He was good on loan at Crystal Palace and I think he added more to his game last season. His partnership with Moises Caicedo is much better than the Enzo [Fernandez] one.

"I would love to think that Maresca could say to the hierarchy, 'please don't sell him, I need him and desperately want him to stay'. I think he played really well and deserves to stay."

Apart from Gallagher, the Blues are also open to selling another academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah this summer. Manchester United have already shown interest, while Bayern Munich are also keeping tabs.