Everton have been linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher recently, and if he were to make the move to Goodison Park, he could be Frank Lampard’s own version of Jude Bellingham.
According to The Telegraph, Lampard is keen to add a new midfielder to his Toffees squad and is keen on the 22-year-old after his superb performances on loan at Crystal Palace last season.
Will Everton sign Gallagher?
However, any permanent move for the England international could set Everton back as much as £50m, so the 43-year-old might have to pursue a loan deal in order to bring the youngster to Merseyside ahead of next season.
Last term saw Gallagher make 34 appearances in the Premier League for Patrick Vieira’s side, in which he contributed eight goals and three assists, averaging an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
This ranked the young midfielder ahead of any player in Everton’s squad in 2021/22, so he would likely represent a big improvement on Lampard’s current options, although it is perhaps ambitious to believe that he would sign for the Toffees based on their performances last season in comparison to Palace.
However, if the 22-year-old were to join, then the Everton boss could have a player comparable to Borussia Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham on his hands.
FBRef suggests that Gallagher and Bellingham have very similar styles of play, with both registering 11 domestic goal contributions last term, also posting near-identical returns in terms of tackles and shots per 90 and pass completion.
WhoScored also suggests that both Gallagher and Bellingham like to dribble and both are fouled often, so the similarities between the two are clear to see.
Ashley Cole was full of praise for the Chelsea youngster last season after his impressive performances at Palace earned him an England call-up, saying: “I think his mentality has been great. The call up to the senior team has been coming. He has shown quality this season and is a big player for Palace.
“He is one of the leaders of that group and is very humble, willing to work and get better. He leads very well.”
Therefore, it would be a huge statement for Everton if Lampard could convince Gallagher to join this summer; and if the 22-year-old plays anything like Bellingham has in recent years for Dortmund, then the Toffees could have a superstar on their books in the near future.
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