Chelsea are prepared to block any approach from Tottenham over Conor Gallagher during the upcoming transfer window - despite mulling a move for their interim captain - according to reports.
The 23-year-old academy graduate was among the legion of players the west London club were preparing to offload over the summer in an effort to trim their bloated squad.
But the Blues were unable to book a move for the midfielder away from Stamford Bridge despite interest from an array of Premier League suitors.
The decision to stay at the club has proved prodigious for both the player and the club after Gallagher was fated to step into the shoes of injured captain Reece James.
Since the start of Chelsea's campaign, Gallagher has been heavily relied upon by manager Mauricio Pochettino and is increasingly seen as a lynchpin figure at the club.
However, in a bid to secure funds for an upcoming January transfer window which could see the high-spending club fork out yet more in pursuit of a tried-and-tested No 9, Gallagher could yet be considered for sale again - but not to Chelsea's crosstown rivals.
As per Football Insider, Pochettino's side will be as unwilling to send their interim captain to north London as they were in the summer.
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou is thought to be an admirer of the player and Spurs tabled a bid of £40million for the player days before the summer window shut.
But Chelsea are thought to be unwilling to strengthen their rivals' squad even for the right price for Gallagher, who they value higher, and are not set to entertain offers.
Gallagher is currently contracted with his club until the summer of 2025, but negotiations have been complex and in recent weeks the two parties have failed to come to an agreement over terms.
Pochettino would like the player to stay and for the club to extend his deal, stressing his worth after Chelsea's weekend win against Sheffield United.
But the Argentine head coach admitted that the decision would lie with 'the player and the club'.
'He is in the starting XI nearly every game and one of the captains,' Pochettino said. 'For me, he is the type of player that the club need to have.
'He is important because of his Chelsea values. He came from the academy, he loves the club, and he is very committed. You can see that on the pitch - he runs, he plays, he fights.
'He does everything to win. He is a really important player that the coaching staff want to have on the team.'
Gallagher has notched up 16 Premier League appearances since the start of the season - missing out on one tie after picking up a red card against Brighton as part of Chelsea's generally poor disciplinary record - and has registered four assists.
But due to his home-grown status, the sale of Gallagher would represent pure profit for the club who are keen to make sure they are compliant with Financial Fair Play regulations before the market after a bumper summer of high-profile purchases including Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
The Blues have raised almost £200m by selling academy graduates like Gallagher including Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Tino Livramento, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Chelsea appear to remain committed to purchasing a striker in the upcoming window with both Nicolas Jackson and Armado Broja not yet returning the necessary goal haul to improve their league chances.
Amongst the targets are Napoli's Scudetto-winning striker Victor Osimhen and Brentford's Ivan Toney, who is heavily favoured by London rivals Arsenal.
Toney, who will return to competitive action in January following an eight-month suspension from the FA over gambling breaches, is thought to be on the verge of a move to the Emirates and last week was described as 'very excited' at the prospect of joining Mikel Arteta's side.
However, the blockbuster race for Toney's signature may yet be fought at the end of the season as the player could look to repay his gratitude to the club and coach who have patiently waited for his return to football for the second-half of the season.