The 2023/24 Premier League season has been something of a disaster for Chelsea, as with just over half of the campaign gone, the Blues find themselves in ninth and nine points off the Champions League places, although fourth-place Arsenal have a game in hand.
Mauricio Pochettino has been unable to create a cohesive unit out of the mass influx of players he was handed in the summer, and with FFP reportedly a concern for the club, they could be about to sell fan favourite Conor Gallagher to balance the books.
While this move could open the ownership up to more disdain from the fans, it could also free up the funds for the latest player touted for a move to Stamford Bridge – a player that could easily replace Gallagher.
Chelsea show interest in former youth player turned superstar
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are among several Premier League clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich’s outstanding young talent, Jamal Musiala.
The report revealed this information after transfers expert Fabrizio Romano (via Caught Offside) confirmed that Bayern and Musiala are yet to come to an agreement regarding a new deal, as the youngster’s current contract is set to expire in 2026.
Two significant obstacles will make this a tough deal to complete for the Pensioners. First is the reported interest of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal; the other obstacle is the price. TEAMtalk reports that Bayern value the former Chelsea youth product at around €100m, which is about £87m.
While it will undoubtedly be difficult for Todd Boehly and Co to get this transfer over the line, the sale of Gallagher could help financially.
How Jamal Musiala compares to Conor Gallagher
Now, if Chelsea do end up selling Gallagher this month, fans would have every right to question the ownership as, after all, the 23-year-old has been one of the few players at the club who can hold his head high this season, and he has been given the captains armband in Reece James’ absence due to this.
However, if the club can use his sale to land a player like Musiala, it would look like a stroke of genius by the board, even if some fans might still be justifiably upset over losing a player who pundit Jamie Carragher described as the club’s “best player this season“, alongside Cole Palmer.
It seems as if Pochettino would be on board with this plan, though, as during the 2022 World Cup, he described the young German as “one of the best young players in the world” and “a massive talent.”
That said, how do the pair stack up to one another when looking at their underlying numbers?
Well, for everything Gallagher has done this year, he finds himself comfortably beaten by the Bayern star – who has seven goals and three assists this season – in practically every relevant metric, bar progressive passes per 90, where he just edges it.
|
Jamal Musiala vs Conor Gallagher |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats per 90 |
Musiala |
Gallagher |
|
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists |
0.64 |
0.23 |
|
Non-Penalty Goals |
0.61 |
0.00 |
|
Assists |
0.24 |
0.21 |
|
Progressive Passes |
5.24 |
5.78 |
|
Progressive Carries |
4.63 |
1.93 |
|
Shots on Target |
0.98 |
0.48 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
5.51 |
3.31 |
|
Goal-Creating Actions |
1.10 |
0.37 |
|
Successful Take-Ons |
3.90 |
1.07 |
|
All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season |
||
In contrast, the German “genius”, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, produces a more impressive non-penalty expected goals and assist figure per 90; he is far more of a goal threat, he completes significantly more progressive carries per 90, and he is a far more accomplished dribbler than the Englishman as well.
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Ultimately, Gallagher has been a reliable and important performer for Chelsea this season amid a rapidly changing team, but if selling him is the best way to sign a player the calibre of Musiala, then the club must make the tough decision.