Chelsea forced into Conor Gallagher recall decision as Crystal Palace clause activated

Tuchel hails Jorginho for playing through the pain for Chelsea

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Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will not be able to recall Conor Gallagher or Billy Gilmour in the January transfer window to help ease his midfield injury crisis. The Blues sent the youngsters out on loan late in the transfer window after it became clear their game time would be limited this season.

Gallagher has been one of the standout players of the Premier League season so far after heading to Crystal Palace on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has scored six goals and assisted three in his 15 appearances, becoming a key player for the Eagles.

He recently earned his first senior cap for England during the 10-0 annihilation of San Marino and nearly capped his debut with a goal.

And those performances have fuelled suggestions that Chelsea could bring the midfielder back to Stamford Bridge to soften the blow after a spate of injuries in midfield.

However, the German will be forced to make do without both of his academy starlets due to the conditions laid out in the loan agreement, according to The Athletic.

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Both Gallagher and Gilmour’s loan deals with Crystal Palace and Norwich City respectively contain a break clause in the event that neither were used after the club learned from previous situations.

For that break clause to be exercised, Gallagher and Gilmour would have had to have played in fewer than 50 per cent of their clubs’ matches this season.

For the former, he has been involved in every one of Palace’s matches, while Gilmour has started all three games under new boss Dean Smith at Carrow Road.

Tuchel has been left without N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic since mid-November, while Jorginho was forced to sit out the last few games with injury.

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The Italy international is back in the side but has been forced to play through the pain, as Tuchel struggles to fill the two slots in central midfield.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been utilised as a deeper central midfielder more frequently in recent weeks after battling to earn his place in the side.

But experiments involving Reece James, Ross Barkley and out-of-favour Saul Niguez alongside him have failed to render a workable solution.

There have even been suggestions that Chelsea’s fierce competition for places could see the highly-rated playmaker move to Selhurst Park on a permanent basis.

But Gallagher has made clear his intention is to return to his parent club next summer to fight for his place.

Tuchel also suggested he hadn’t considered bringing Gallagher back to the club, while the same would likely apply for Gilmour as the Scotland international is now getting more game time.

“Actually I haven’t thought about it,” Tuchel said in November.

“I think it is important for him to be happy where he is and not change things. It is important to be calm, I feel him happy there and that he is having this impact at Crystal Palace.

“It is too early to talk about that in public before we talk with Conor himself and what his goals are.

“This will happen in the summer as we all agreed to the decision that we wanted to send him to Palace. He saw a possibility for him.

“I am not surprised the national coach loves him because I loved him from day one. Humble, nice, smile on his face and all the time ready to give everything, want to learn and improve.”

For now, the former West Brom loanee will see out the season in south London — to the delight of adoring Palace fans.

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