Newcastle United could be set to take advantage of Chelsea transfer uncertainty
Chelsea fans have made their feelings clear when it comes to the potential exit of captain Conor Gallagher this summer, yet manager Mauricio Pochettino's confession that a decision to sell or keep the midfielder is out of his hands is a reminder of why Newcastle United's approach to the transfer market works so well.
Prior to the game with Tottenham, Chelsea fans unfurled a banner of Gallagher with the words 'Chelsea since birth,' before the 24-year-old went on to play an important role in the 2-0 win over their London rivals. The pre-game display was in response to constant speculation over Gallagher's future, with him being linked with a move to Newcastle, as well as other Premier League sides this summer.
Indeed, Newcastle are thought to have sent scouts to watch Gallagher as recent as last month, and the midfielder very nearly joined on loan in January of 2022 before choosing to move to Crystal Palace instead. Since then Gallagher has become an integral part of Chelsea's side and looks a guaranteed pick for Gareth Southgate's England squad for this summer's European Championships.
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Yet despite his importance, Chelsea boss Pochettino has refused to rule out an exit for Gallagher. Asked about it in his post-Tottenham press conference, Pochettino said: "I am not involved. I don’t know nothing, I think you can see in my starting XI that the whole season he was always there. With all the circumstances, he was always there.
“Yes, he is an important player, of course but I am not involved in the decision. It is the club and Conor. That is a situation they need to fix between the club and the player."
It was a confession from Pochettino that reaffirms his lack of control over transfers at Chelsea. The club's transfer approach - spending more than £1 billion pounds in just a few windows - has been heavily criticised with many high profile moves failing to justify the price tags paid.
It is somewhat a contrast to that of the work at Newcastle when it comes to transfers. Where it appears Pochettino has little say in who arrives or leaves Chelsea, Toon boss Eddie Howe's input is vital to any business at United. The Toon boss has the final say on any incomings, and while no player at United is unsellable, the manager's desire to keep his stars and build a team around them is crucial.
Indeed, perhaps the first real test of this was the future of Joelinton. Howe made it clear he wanted to keep Joelinton at the club, and while for a short time the Brazilan's future look destined to be away from St James' Park, United confirmed a new deal for the midfielder last month.
In short, the club listened to Howe, and that relationship between the board, the scouting staff and the manager is the foundation for success at Newcastle.
Of course, as Howe has admitted in recent weeks, certain exits are not only out of his hands but the club's hands - such as Bruno Guimaraes should any suitor match his £100m release clause before June 30th - but there is no active move by the club to push any of their key men to the exit door.
Everyone on the same page is key for what United are looking to achieve - which is in contrast to Chelsea which seems to have a some what a disjointed and fractious approach to things. Pochettino addressing it as between the 'club and Conor,' when it comes to Gallagher's future suggests a figure on the outside of key decision making, and questions have to be asked how that leads to success.
With Gallagher, he is a player which splits opinion when it comes to Newcastle fans but in terms of his style of play - his high intensity makes him an ideal fit to a Howe side.
If Chelsea are open to selling, and Pochettino's desire to keep his captain is ignored, United may look to strike a deal for Gallagher who has been on their radar since the very first window of the current of ownership.