Newcastle United are ‘definitely’ looking to bring Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher to St James’ Park before Thursday’s transfer deadline, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Howe wants a midfielder
According to a report by The i, the Magpies remain in the market for a new midfielder. Reliable journalist Mark Douglas has said that Dan Ashworth and PIF are ‘looking to [the] loan market’ for a potential addition, with the club recently having broken their transfer record with a £63m swoop for striker Alexander Isak.
The Tyneside outfit have been linked with numerous midfielders this summer, and Leicester City’s James Maddison is a prime target, with Newcastle’s second bid for the Foxes playmaker of just over £40m being rejected.
The Latest: Jones’ news
Jones has now stated that Newcastle are in the race to sign Gallagher from Chelsea, but with plentiful interest emerging for the 22-year-old, his signature will likely be hard to clinch this summer.
Speaking with GiveMeSport about the Magpies' plans in the market, the transfer insider claimed: “A midfielder is definitely one on the radar – Conor Gallagher.
“They’re just one of about 10 clubs that are looking at Conor Gallagher at the moment, so we can’t get too excited about it.”
The Verdict: Would be a huge coup
When looking at the England international’s underlying statistics, it is clear to see what a coup his signing would be for the Magpies.
As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, Gallagher ranks in the 94th percentile for pressures and the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals, dribbles completed and touches in the attacking penalty area.
With these attributes, the 22-year-old is stylistically comparable to the likes of Joelinton, Konrad Laimer and Jude Bellingham, marking him out as an industrious midfielder who also likes to take on opponents and make a telling impact in the final third.
Therefore, Gallagher - who has been described as a ‘monster’ in midfield by journalist Tom Dutton - would be a brilliant late-summer signing for Eddie Howe, however unlikely it may seem right now.