Newcastle ‘in talks’ over move for England international eyeing World Cup call – Report

According to Mark Douglas at iNews, Newcastle are in talks with Chelsea over a potential loan move for Conor Gallagher.

The England international enjoyed an impressive spell at Crystal Palace last season and made his first competitive appearance for Chelsea last weekend, appearing for the final few seconds of a 1-0 win over Everton.

However, with him currently behind the likes of Jorginho, Kante and Kovacic in the pecking order, Douglas reports that another move away is possible to boost his hopes of making Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.

As a versatile player who can operate anywhere in midfield, it’s easy to see why the high-energy 22-year-old would appeal to Eddie Howe – especially now we’ve just lost Jonjo Shelvey to a long-term hamstring injury.

The same report also states that Callum Hudson-Odoi and Armando Broja are two other Chelsea players we’ve shown interest in. However, it’s said the Blues will wait until the final few days of the window before making a final decision on Broja, with the club light on strikers after summer exits for Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner.

Here’s what Eddie Howe had to say about loans recently, suggesting he is more than happy to pursue such deals if the right player with the right attitude crops up:

“The structure of the transfer doesn’t matter to me, it’s about the individual,” Howe said, when asked if the loan market could be exploited before the transfer deadline.

“Matt Targett came in as a loan player but committed to everything and felt like a Newcastle player from day one.

“Another individual’s character might be different and you get the feeling they are just here for a set time and will then move on. I’d be reluctant to do those types of transfers so it’s all about the person and them committing to the club and team.

“It’s a feel you get from speaking to them and the agent. You’ll sense the commitment from the player very early. If you’re going to sign a player, they have to be committed to your club.”