(Football news) After selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million, West Ham is aiming to rebuild its midfield and has made their initial bid for Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse. One of the few senior midfielders still on the Chelsea roster, Gallagher has drawn interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United this summer. 

Gallagher is more likely to go to Spurs than to West Ham. The 23-year-old’s Chelsea contract has two years left, so this summer is the club’s final opportunity to get the full worth for the product of the academy.

The midfielder Joao Palhinha of Fulham and the Swiss international Denis Zakaria, who spent last season on loan from Juventus to Chelsea, are also thought to be on West Ham’s list of potential targets. Following the departures of Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek since the beginning of the year, Chelsea is lacking senior central midfielders.

For the club’s preseason tour of the United States, Mauricio Pochettino only chose six midfielders, with Gallagher being the oldest of those. Moises Caicedo is still a goal for Chelsea this summer, but they haven’t gone close to matching Brighton’s valuation of the midfielder, which is more than £100 million.

Only 18 of Gallagher’s 35 Premier League appearances last season out of which he scored three goals were as starters. Despite the uncertainties surrounding his future, the England international has been in fine form during preseason and scored during this weekend’s triumph over Brighton.

Previously, Gallagher played Premier League seasons on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace. His spirited performances in the centre of midfield for Palace during the 2021/22 season were so impressive that he was awarded the team’s player of the year. 

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