Conor Gallagher is the gifted grafter Mauricio Pochettino is unwilling to let slip away… but the Cobham graduate could be heading for the door as Chelsea look to balance the books

When push came to shove, Chelsea’s savior in Wednesday’s nervy FA Cup win over Championship team Leeds was not one of their multimillion-pound men, of which they have plenty.

It was Conor Gallagher – the Cobham graduate, one of them, the homegrown hero who is having an exhibition organized for him by We Are The Shed, the fan group behind the impressive tifo on display at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. He is also, from a dispassionate perspective, a player who represents pure profit when it comes to the Premier League’s PSR rules.

Barring a breakthrough in extension talks, Gallagher will only have one year left on his contract this summer, at which point Chelsea are expected to listen to offers again – with Tottenham known admirers of the gifted grafter who has won possession in the competition. final third more than any other player in the Premier League this season.

West Ham are among those who have expressed interest in previous windows, yet a well-placed source has dismissed the prospect of them re-entering the race.

Chelsea would much rather deal with such players than commit transfer treachery with Tottenham, although West Ham feel the asking price will still top £45m. Not a crazy valuation by Chelsea standards as Mason Mount was sold to Manchester United for £55m, rising to £60m with a year left on his deal, and they wanted £50m for Armando Broja in January.

Mauricio Pochettino is a huge fan of the midfielder and would be sad to see him move

The 24-year-old has impressed in an uneven season in west London thanks to his tenacious work rate

Yet Gallagher’s performances on the pitch will also impact the wages he can receive in the event of an exit, which West Ham believe will be around £150,000 per week. This, the source says, will likely limit his availability for clubs competing in the Champions League.

Co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart were at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to see Gallagher secure the 3-2 win over Leeds as a substitute. It was a great moment for the 24-year-old, who is never shy about saying he ‘loves’ the club he has occasionally captained.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino wants him to stay – describing him as ‘priceless’ and voicing his support for him after his missed chances in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool – but he has been here before. Tottenham sold one of their most talented players Mousa Dembele in January 2019 when his contract expired and their second half of the season suffered from his absence, even as they added some money to the coffers.

Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham is one of his admirers, but the Blues would not want to see him move to a hated rival

During his loan spell at Crystal Palace, then coach Patrick Vieira called him an important talent

Gallagher was not sold in the winter period and that benefited Chelsea on Wednesday. Without his FA Cup winner, their campaign could now be all but over if their leggy players had played extra time against Leeds at Stamford Bridge. Instead, they continue to compete in the competition that could bring them silverware alongside European football.

Mail Sport interviewed Patrick Vieira towards the end of his time as Crystal Palace manager. He was no longer on loan for Gallagher, but Vieira was more than willing to discuss why he was one of his favorite players, saying of his passion: “Conor was the perfect embodiment of that. He gave it his all.”

Managers value Gallagher more than money, although the question of whether he will wear a Chelsea shirt next season remains as uncertain as ever.