Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has a big decision to make over the futures of Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Both players were poor in Sunday’s 3-0 thumping by Leeds and could find themselves demoted in Tuchel’s thinking come the end of the transfer window.
A couple of injuries meant that Gallagher and Loftus-Cheek were handed opportunities at Elland Road. The former, who has been desperate to impress at his boyhood club this summer, made his first Premier League start for the Blues.
Gallagher started as a No 8 in a midfield double pivot alongside Jorginho, with Mason Mount just ahead. Loftus-Cheek was used as a right wing-back, an unfamiliar role but a position in which he has played before.
The duo struggled in the game. Gallagher, whose best performances during his successful loan at Crystal Palace last season came in a free role in a midfield three, looked limited sitting in front of defence. Loftus-Cheek was moved into midfield in the second half after having found Jack Harrison tough to contain.
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Gallagher had been desperate to impress at Chelsea this summer, and finally made his competitive Blues debut in the opening day win over Everton. He has since appeared in clashes with Tottenham and Leeds.
“It was a phone call. I told him that I think that I’m ready to play for Chelsea. I said: ‘You know that’s what I want to do’,” he said of telling Tuchel that he wanted to prove his worth in July. “We both got out of the call what we needed and it was clear after that. He wants me to prove myself in pre-season and hopefully be part of the squad.”
But the 22-year-old could now need to impress on loan again, whether that be a return to Crystal Palace – who Express Sport understands are strongly interested in a second spell – or somewhere else. Whether or not Chelsea sign De Jong could decide his short-term future.
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