Joe Cole urges Chelsea to keep hold of star at the club, believes he can emulate Liverpool icon Jordan Henderson's legacy

Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole has said that the Blues should try their best to not lose midfielder Conor Gallagher. He likened the 23-year-old to Liverpool's Jordan Henderson, insisting he had a bright future at the club.

Cole said at the Green Football Weekend event:

"Conor Gallagher is a crucial one and is the face of the club. He's a captain in the leadership group, so to take him out of the team now would not be good. If I was advising him, I'd tell him he has a big future at Chelsea.

"I think what Jordan Henderson was to Liverpool, he can be that for Chelsea."

Gallagher has been a key player for the Blues this season, starting every game he has been available. In the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell due to injury, manager Mauricio Pochettino has trusted him with the captaincy, recognising his importance to the team. He has made 26 appearances across all competitions and is yet to score but has bagged four assists.

Gallagher's contract with Chelsea is set to expire in 18 months, with contract negotiations currently underway. He was also linked with a move away from the club both in the summer and in the January transfer window.

Cole compared Gallagher to Henderson, a midfielder who was a regular for Liverpool for almost 10 seasons. He initially developed alongside Steven Gerrard before taking up the captaincy, helping the side win the Premier League in 2019-20.

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Chelsea recall midfielder from Championship loan

Mauricio Pochettino's side have recalled midfielder Cesare Casadei from his loan spell with Leicester City. He was sent to the Foxes for a one-year term but his time with the Championship side has been cut short.

Casadei has been added to the 25-man squad and is expected to arrive at the Blues' training ground Cobham soon. While he is yet to make an appearance for the senior squad, the Italian was impressive for the under-21s since arriving last season from Inter Milan.

Casadei was beginning to get regular game time under Enzo Maresca for Leicester, scoring three goals and setting up two more in 22 appearances. However, with Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu suffering injuries, the Blues are in dire need of midfield options. Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Conor Gallagher are their only current options.

Andrey Santos has also been recalled from Nottingham Forest but is unlikely to play a major role.