Conor Gallagher could be on his way back to Crystal Palace with a move to rivals Newcastle RULED OUT

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could return to Crystal Palace on loan after being told he will not be allowed to join any Premier League rivals.

The England star had been linked with a move to Newcastle but the Blues are unwilling to let the player join one of their direct competitors, with the Magpies well ahead in the race for a Champions League spot. .

Palace are also in talks to sign Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi-Lokonga from Arsenal, with Patrick Vieira dipping into the loan market to shore up his midfield.

Gallagher was arguably Palace’s best player last season during his loan spell at the club, and he looked set for a more regular role at Chelsea this term.

However, he has struggled to get regular minutes under Graham Potter and is averaging just 41 minutes in his 18 Premier League outings.

The 22-year-old has only scored once for the Blues this term, a long-range effort that came against the Eagles in a 14-minute cameo in October.

Potter’s team is also in an extended move to bring Benfica’s World Cup-winning star Enzo Fernandez to Stamford Bridge, which would create even more competition for minutes at the club.

Fernández’s deal with Chelsea has continued for almost four weeks, and given the £105m fee the club will have to shell out for the young Argentinian, it is likely that he will go straight to the first team.

Gallagher thrived under Vieira with his seemingly relentless energy bringing momentum and pace to the Eagles’ midfield.

The 22-year-old scored eight goals and assisted a further three in 34 league games in a successful loan spell that saw him impress Gareth Southgate enough to earn his first England cap in November 2021.

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