If Hughes continues to play like he did when he started recently we don’t need Gallagher. Hughes doesn’t have Gallagher’s goal threat but he puts himself about in midfield. He’s an intelligent player who can partner Decoure. Gallagher has a tendency to run around like a headless chicken and hope someone is covering the spaces he leaves.

A right back please and if Mateta goes then Haji Wright!

We can dream about CG, but there is just a remote chance that he returns to Selhurst Park. Even though he probably understands that manager Potter will push him down the pecking order.
With Chelsea's machine gun approaching the transfer window, I think the former Brighton boss regrets leaving the Seagulls. Re. Gallagher and a 45 mill. price tag - no thanks. He was probably the best and most fascinating player in PL first part of last season, but then he faded away. He is certainly not a Chelsea type of player - the only chance for us to get him is 1) they lower asking price and 2) have some clause about Chelsea having first option to buy him back.
Lower the asking price to 20-25 mill (after all, 20 mill. for the new owner seems like change money) and yes, he might return to us. Because no way they let him go to No 4-spot competitor Newcastle.

Edited by thai-eagle (31 Jan 2023 5.13am)

I have a good feeling about this one as Conor must see that the writing is on the wall for him at Chelsea if they are bringing in yet another midfielder and paying over 100m euros for him.

We may be a bit cash strapped at the moment but don't forget that we don't pay for transfers all up front

I said last week that I didn't think this would happen, but wouldn't be surprised if it did. While I stand by that, I think the chances of it happening are increasing by the hour. Why? Simply because a loan with the option to buy looks like right now, it really would suit all parties.

For us, Conor gives us an oven-ready fix for the next three months, and we need one. We all know midfield has to be strengthened, and if we sign Ahamada today having Conor lets us bring him into the PL a little more slowly, which might make sense. If Ahamada did hit the ground running and make an immediate impact, there's no reason he, Doucoure, and Conor couldn't play together. It's win-win. Furthermore, we've wanted to sign Conor for a long time but if we sign Ahamada now, we'll probably not have the cash to do so until the summer. Loan with an option to buy makes a lot of sense.

For Chelsea, they're at a point where they simply have to get players off the books because they have too many for their 25-man squad. If they haven't made a permanent decision about Conor's future, sending him to us for three months (somewhere he appears happy to go and they know he'd develop further) would let them delay that decision for once and for all until the summer, knowing they had an instant buyer if they decide they are happy to sell him then and if not, knowing he'd have another three months good experience if they wanted to keep him.

I would imagine there's at least a fair chance this one happens. It makes too much sense to be impossible.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

That all makes sense and I would soooo love it to happen but I reckon they want him out and cash in which we probably can't afford to do.
I am sure they would prefer him with us from a competition point of view though, so who knows.

It certainly hampered us in the Summer, that's for sure.
We were told he was ours and then Chelsea pulled the rug.
I don't think it will this time though as it appears that we are hampered by our lack of cash more than anything and are after scraps.

This is why I think a loan to buy is the perfect answer for all parties.

If Chelsea wants him out, and they HAVE TO reduce their squad size at least for the remainder of this season, then Conor is likely to be someone who goes. If the above is true, the question isn't what will happen, but only where is Conor going to go.

Ultimately, Chelsea probably does want cash, but they don't need it urgently and a loan gives them three more months to make a final decision about Conor with a guaranteed buyer at the end of it if they decide to sell.

Clearly, they don't want him to strengthen an immediate rival so Newcastle is probably out. Plus, if does leave Chelsea it now seems like we are Conor's preferred destination. In short, a loan and an option to buy is a win for everyone. We get the player we want now but can hold off spending money we won't have until the summer window to buy him permanently (if he's available). Chelsea solves its squad size problem now while buying time to make longer-term decisions about his future. Conor is as happy as he can be without having made it at Chelsea, playing every week for a manager he likes. Chelsea hasn't strengthened a rival.

It's almost like the biggest question now is "why wouldn't this happen?" If Chelsea signs Fernandez, I'd have thought we have a very good chance of getting this over the line. I'd imagine the hotline between Selhurst Park and Stamford Bridge is very much open and given the history between the parties, this would be a very easy deal to conclude quickly if it's on the table.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

If it's true that Everton offered £40m for him, then that's a good indication of the transfer fee when he goes on a permanent deal.

And I can't see Palace paying that.

I don't think he'll be coming in on loan either.

Old, Ungifted and White

Palace like to get medicals done on Mondays if they can, trouble is the future off Palace can't promise European football, which is a shame, something wrong going wrong no stadium yet, if Palace promised we will try get into Europe next couple off seasons he would have come, Zaha goes end off season CG comes in but no more now , can't blame him as we have owners who can't move on to the the next level,not the American investors we ideally wanted, it's like a mix and pick off owners.

I wonder when he will realise he has no future at Chelsea ? Maybe now they have signed another dozen players he might see the writing on the wall ?