Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has blasted the Blues for how they've treated Conor Gallagher.
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Petit slammed Chelsea for handling of Gallagher situationStill unclear if midfielder will be joining Atletico MadridHas essentially been banished from first-team squadWHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea banished their academy graduate Gallagher from the first-team squad earlier this month and are now on the verge of finalising a permanent transfer of the player to Atletico Madrid. The deal was close to collapse after Samu Omorodion's transfer to Stamford Bridge did not go through, however, the Premier League have now given him the green light to move to Madrid.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Blues' treatment towards their ex-youth player has not gone down well with former player Petit as the Frenchman blasted Todd Boehly and the Clearlake Capital ownership group for mistreating Gallagher and forcing him to leave the club. He also hailed the midfielder as the only Chelsea player other than Cole Palmer who had a fruitful campaign in the 2023-24 season.
WHAT EMMANUEL PETIT SAID
Speaking to Android Poker Apps, Petit said: "Chelsea should try to keep Conor Gallagher. In modern football, sometimes you don't have an Englishman in the starting XI and Chelsea need his English presence in the squad. It really reminds me of the Mason Mount situation, both players were happy to stay at the club and both have been forced out. Gallagher, alongside Cole Palmer, was the only positive player last season.
"Even if he leaves Chelsea, I don't want to see him leave the Premier League – he deserves more than what's happening to him with Atletico Madrid. Gallagher belongs in England, he's built up his career through loan moves and then became captain at Chelsea, he deserves better than this. Why are Chelsea getting rid of their best midfielder for loads of unknown young stars? It's a massive gamble to splash millions on these foreign players, if I was Gallagher I'd be so pissed off, it's a pity."
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
With Gallagher exiting Stamford Bridge, the west London club are on the verge of signing Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid. The player has already reached London and will undergo a medical with the Blues before formally putting pen to paper.