lost his identity and his form, which led to his dismissal in March. It was the fourth managerial change at Tottenham in as many years, and it was another obstacle preventing the London team from contending at the top of the Premier League and in Europe.
However, steering clear of the hiring of managers with dazzling resumes and elevating Postecoglou to the top of the hierarchy—who had achieved great success with Celtic in Scotland but was not regarded as being on the same level as the Conte and Jose Mourinhos of the game—has turned out to be a wise move for the Lilywhites.
Tottenham has shown they can compete in the Champions League again, even though they gave in to Harry Kane’s requests to be sold and allowed him to join Bayern Munich in August. However, they still need to make additional additions.
November saw the end of a fantastic start to the season as injuries and suspensions exposed how thin the Spurs roster still is.
But the January trade deadline is drawing near, and Postecoglou and his transfer group will undoubtedly use the chance to bolster the roster.Spurs’ interest in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has reportedly increased as a result of the Blues’ decision to sell the player, according to a recent TEAMtalk article. The Blues are trying to raise money and comply with rules so they can make big purchases in 2024.
There are rumors in the article that Chelsea would be ready to give up the England international for £50 million, but it’s more likely that negotiations with potential suitors will begin around £40 million.
Although Spurs made a failed £40 million approach for Gallagher on the day of the summer transfer window, Manchester United and West Ham United are also mentioned as potential suitors. This might persuade the 23-year-old to make the risky move across London.
Conor Gallagher’s style of play
Despite the potential financial gains from selling a local player, Gallagher is one of the celebrities at Chelsea who has been rendered disposable.
Gallagher is ranked in the top 16% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons and progressive carries, in the top 17% for tackles, the top 3% for blocks, and the top 9% for touches in the attacking box per 90 minutes, according to FBref.
Gallagher has been a key player for Chelsea, a squad that has had trouble getting things going for the past few seasons. He has shown his ability to penetrate the middle and his willingness to get forward and help his team.
The £50k-per-week star has played 65 games for the Blues in all competitions, tallying three goals and dishing out five assists. His hustle and enthusiasm have made him one of Mauricio Pochettino’s most valuable players this season.
With 16 starts in the league so far this season for the Stamford Bridge team, the 11-cap international has, according to Sofascore, contributed four assists, completed 92% of his passes, averaged 1.4 crucial passes, 2.8 tackles, and 6.6 ball recoveries per game, completed 73% of his dribbles, and won 55% of his duels.
A very successful multi-purpose midfield player, Gallagher would be an excellent addition to any Tottenham squad heading into the winter transfer window, since both Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma will be departing for the African Cup of Nations the following month.
He also shares some remarkable parallels with Dele Alli, and with little tactical adjustments, he may develop into a player of the same caliber in the fluid Spurs system.
Mike Stavrou of The Athletic, who said on Twitter, “Conor Gallagher was absolutely relentless with his pressing and energy tonight,” supports claims that Gallagher imitates this kind of play. Chelsea has a few players.”
How Conor Gallagher compares to “Poch-era” Dele Alli
Gallagher is considered a “manager’s dream” by former Eagles coach Patrick Vieira, and Postecoglou would make good use of his skills by incorporating offensive flair and fluidity into his lineup at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
It’s easy to say that Vieira exceeded expectations as Gallagher’s manager during the 2021–2022 season, when he was loaned out to Crystal Palace to obtain some crucial Premier League experience.
Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke likened the Englishman’s emerging prolificness to that of Alli, as he averaged 2.1 tackles per game, scored eight goals, and completed 81% of his passes when playing at Selhurst Park.
Vieira stated: “He surprised me with his finishing, he surprised me with his energy, he surprised me with the way he gets into the box at the right time to score goals.”
Alli became one of the greatest-ever youth players in the division when he signed a five-year contract with Tottenham in 2015 for approximately £5 million. In his first three seasons, Alli scored 37 goals and provided 29 assists, earning Mourinho’s prediction that he could become “one of the world’s best.
Gallagher might replicate Alli’s skill with the current Tottenham team. An clever and positionally astonishing player, Alli would glide into the danger area with surprising regularity, thriving in a high-octane system.
Gallagher has proven to be a capable goal scorer from the middle in the past, and a move to Tottenham could ignite this streak once more. He could emerge as Alli’s successor, giving Postecoglou’s team a cutting-edge from deep to relieve some of Heung-min Son’s workload.
