Chelsea respond to West Ham's bid for Conor Gallagher

The England international is surplus to requirements as Chelsea look to replace him with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea have rejected a £40 million (€46m/$51m) bid from West Ham United for Conor Gallagher, according to the Evening Standard.

Gallagher, a Blues academy graduate, is out of favor in London. With his contract up in June 2025, Chelsea are open to selling him. They want to replace him with Moises Caicedo. Negotiations with Caicedo’s club, Brighton, have been slow though.

Chelsea are also open to signing a second midfielder, alongside Caicedo. This may see them bid for players like Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia.

That said, Chelsea are still in no rush to sell Gallagher. The Blues have rejected West Ham’s first offer of £40 million for the midfielder. They previously accepted a bid worth £45 million from Everton in January, but Gallagher refused to transfer to Goodison Park.

As things stand, West Ham are refusing to increase their initial offer. Their stance could invite a bid from Tottenham Hotspur, who also hold an interest in Gallagher.

The 23-year-old returned to Stamford Bridge last season following a loan spell at Crystal Palace. He made 45 appearances in all competitions, managing three goals and one assist.