What Conor Gallagher and Mauricio Pochettino have said about Chelsea transfer amid Tottenham wait

Chelsea transfer news: Conor Gallagher could still leave the Blues late into the summer window as Tottenham ready a bid for the England ace.

Three games into the season and only one Chelsea midfielder has played more minutes than Conor Gallagher. Just two Tottenham outfielders have more so far this term for Ange Postecoglou.

Be it due to accounting purposes or the reality that the decision makers at Stamford Bridge just don't see him as indispensable, Gallagher's future has gone down to the final day of the window. A Chelsea fan born into a family of Chelsea fans, Gallagher is as blue as they currently get in the group.

When the rest of the squad is made up of youngsters only recently through the door or expensively assembled parts from elsewhere it is natural to eventually reach Gallagher. However, even during pre-season when West Ham were readying themselves to go for the England midfielder he continued to be played.

Nobody featured more on the tour of America and just two days before the summer window closed he was made captain of the team for the Carabao Cup clash with AFC Wimbledon. Everything on the pitch says that Gallagher is key to this group and is highly thought of by Pochettino but noises continue to surround him.

"It was a great moment tonight [captaining the team] and hopefully many more," he said glowing when speaking to reporters after the midweek win. "Everyone’s playing well, obviously a lot of top midfielders [have joined the club], but I’m just playing with quite a lot of confidence at the minute, I feel fit and strong."

Gallagher is still being used largely out of position as a way to give Enzo Fernandez more freedom and has intense competition in the forward areas, a role he is more suited too. Very few are able to have his impact going forward and also provide such strong and dogged defensive work in a deeper spot as well. It is this, and his ability to never get tired, that makes him so useful.

"It’s great to have a great squad that we have for this season, it’s really important to help us win games," he added. "I’m happy with how it’s going so far for myself, I want to keep improving and keep helping the team get more wins."

It's hardly a plea for things to change and Pochettino has only echoed the same sentiments publicly. "Conor is a great professional, his commitment with the club, with the team," he said. "I’m so happy for him because he’s showing great character, great commitment, he’s playing very well."

This is a message he has remained consistent with throughout the summer, saying at the start: "Conor is in our plans, I was talking with him the first day I arrived." He also gave an update during pre-season reiterating the progress. "He’s doing well. He’s a really important player, with his commitment, and the way he is involved every day and in training. We are so happy with him."

Things did change somewhat as the demand for more midfielders increased as the season drew nearer. “In football, anything can happen," the Argentine vaguely said when directly quizzed on Gallagher's future. "Now I am happy with him and his performance there are still two years on his contract.

“I’m happy with him and his performance. At the moment there’s nothing to say.”

It's no surprise that this is the case, Gallagher and Pochettino are a match made in heaven given their styles and agreement on tempo, bravery and intense pressing. "He’s a top manager, everyone at Chelsea is happy he’s here and we’re looking forward to working with him," Gallagher said of his new boss earlier this year.

It's not likely that either of the two push for a move at this stage but that means very little in football and nothing is off the table yet.