Chelsea ‘offer’ England star who ‘won’t play again’ at Euro 2024 in ‘incredible’ swap for Barcelona Star Boy
According to sources, Chelsea have made a player-plus-cash bid for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo including England midfielder Conor Gallagher.
Since a Todd Boehly-led company acquired the Stamford Bridge team in May 2022, the Blues have spent over £1 billion; Chelsea supporters are still to see the results on the pitch.
With Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, and Tosin Adarabioyo added to their lineup, Chelsea has already been active in the transfer scene this summer.
But it appears the Blues, who hired Enzo Maresca as their new manager at the conclusion of the season after Mauricio Pochettino departed by mutual agreement, are far from done in the transfer market.
Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson, Thiago Silva and Hakim Ziyech have all left Chelsea this summer; rumors have been around for some time that Gallagher would be sold to assist the Premier League team comply with profit and sustainability goals.
And now, claims in Spain that Chelsea has “increased its offer” for Barcelona center-back Araujo in what is said to be a “fantastic” deal for the Uruguay national.
Chelsea “continue to insist on signing” Araujo with Barcelona president Laporta and Deco “not at all closed to the prospect of transferring the defender this summer for the proper price.”
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The Catalan giants “have warned all his suitors that they will ask for between €90m and €100m’ for Araujo but Boehly hopes to reach an agreement with Barça to considerably reduce this cost, and has ideas of including a star player who could be interesting for Hans-Dieter Flick, and is dispensable for Maresca.”
Gallagher is the man Boehly is willing to exchange following the arrival of Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City. He is one of the leaders and is searching for a fresh challenge as England has ran out of room at Chelsea.
Along with Gallagher’s permanent services, Chelsea’s bid to persuade Barça and let Araújo depart would be €45m.
Before being assigned a spot in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI in their last group encounter against Slovenia, Gallagher came off the bench in England’s first two group matches against Serbia and Denmark.
But the Chelsea midfielder was pulled off at half-time in their 0-0 draw against Slovenia before returning off the bench in the 106th minute to play the remaining 14 minutes of extra time in England’s thrilling last-16 triumph against Slovakia.
Former Germany international Didi Hamann questioned Gallagher’s presence in the competition once more before the Slovakia game.
“Gallagher isn’t or wasn’t a problem,” Hamann advised RTE. That England team’s issue is not his.
Now is most likely too late. The manager looks bad if you pursue the inferior players, hence he has behaved in the competition accordingly.
Alexander-Arnold has been seized; he is a simple target. Gallagher finishes at half-time. Gallagher most likely won’t reappear for the remainder of the competition.
