Tottenham Hotspur’s attempt to secure a deal with Chelsea for Conor Gallagher on transfer deadline day fell through due to the Blues’ financial demands, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Spurs put forward a £40 million bid for the 23-year-old player, as their manager Ange Postecoglou sought to bolster the midfield squad in the final stages of the summer transfer window.
However, the Daily Mail states that Chelsea turned down this offer and insisted on a fee of £48 million along with additional performance-based payments to sell Gallagher.
While Chelsea were open to selling the player for the right price, Tottenham found themselves unable to meet the financial requirements for the transfer.
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Consequently, Gallagher remained at Stamford Bridge as the transfer window closed at 11 p.m. on Friday evening.
The English national team player is happy to remain at Chelsea, but he might encounter challenges in securing regular playing opportunities due to the arrivals of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia.
Caicedo has already made three appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, and Lavia is expected to become a regular once he returns to full fitness. The 19-year-old is expected to be eligible for selection after the international break in September.
On Friday, Palmer finalized his £40 million transfer from Manchester City and could potentially feature in Chelsea’s squad for their upcoming Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.
Tottenham had been actively searching for a midfielder before the transfer window closed last Friday, but their attempt to sign Gallagher collapsed at the last minute.
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Postecoglou was keen on finding a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who was rumoured to be a target for Atletico Madrid on the transfer deadline day. However, Tottenham rejected a loan offer from the La Liga side because it lacked an obligation to buy clause.
Hojbjerg does not feature in the manager’s plans for the upcoming season and has started on the bench in his two league matches so far.
He was only included in the starting lineup for the first time this season in the Carabao Cup defeat against Fulham on Tuesday.
The ex-Celtic boss prioritizes Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr over the Danish midfielder. As a result, the Denmark midfielder will remain with Tottenham until at least the winter transfer window.
