Gallagher reveals he could have played for Scotland but was turned down

Conor Gallagher has hinted that he might have had a future with the Scotland team after failing to meet the required levels in England's youth set up.

The midfielder has enjoyed a blistering season for Chelsea which has seen him take up the captain's armband and play a pivotal role in helping the west London side secure European football next season.

Gallagher's promise during the 2023-24 season also caught the eye of Gareth Southgate, helping him book his spot in the England side set to challenge in Germany from Sunday's opener against Serbia.

But the 24-year-old reminisced about a more difficult period in his international career, following a brief trial with Scotland nearly 10 years ago.

'When I was 15 or 16 I wasn't good enough to play for the England youth team,' Gallagher revealed on Thursday.

'So I think I went to train with one of the Scotland teams to see what I was like, and I wasn't good enough for them either!

'So I managed to work my way back into the England youth set-up and was lucky enough to stay in it.'

Gallagher broke into the England under-17s side in 2017, where he earnt four caps, and continued to be a fixture in the country's youth sides until his senior promotion in 2021.

The former Crystal Palace loanee earned his first cap against San Marino, and has since garned 12 more - but Gallagher is yet to feature at a major tournament after travelling to Qatar as an unused substitute during the 2022 World Cup.

With Chelsea believed to be considering the midfielder up for sale during the summer transfer window, a number of clubs are likely to be watching potential performances in Germany with interest.

Tottenham and Aston Villa are among the Premier League rivals interested in signing the Chelsea academy graduate, with the Blues reportedly setting his asking price at £50million.