Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea need ‘at least’ one more senior midfielder amid concerns they are already short in the position even before allowing Conor Gallagher to leave.
Chelsea have rejected an initial £40million offer from West Ham for the 23-year-old but remain open to selling him. They are braced for a further bid but already lack of options there, with Enzo Fernandez, 22, the next most senior midfielder.
The Blues want Brighton’s Moises Caicedo but Brighton are demanding either £100m or exciting defender Levi Colwill in exchange for the Ecuador international, terms that Chelsea have so far refused to meet.
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They have been left to hand significant minutes to teenage midfielders in pre-season, including Carney Chukwuemeka, Andrey Santos, Cesare Casadei after N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mateo Kovacic all left the club this summer.
Speaking ahead of a match against Newcastle in Atlanta, Pochettino accepted his midfield needs reinforcing: “We need to add some player there. We need one more with experience.
“That is the idea. We are working, the club is working on that. At the moment we are working to reinforce that area and other areas also.
“It’s a good opportunity for the young guys to have the chance to play. We are testing different players who can be important for the present and the future. The players that are here on the tour are in our plan.”
Chelsea have put a £50m valuation on Gallagher with West Ham chasing two midfielders after banking £105m having sold Declan Rice to Arsenal.
Tottenham are also keen on the England international, who scored over 90 minutes in the last pre-season Summer Series match, a 4-3 win over Brighton in Philadelphia.
Pochettino was full of praise for Gallagher, who is widely regarded as a top professional, but was unconvincing when asked about his future. He added: “I was talking with him the first day that he arrived [and said] that he’s in our plans.
“In football, anything can happen. Now I am happy with him and his performance there are still two years on his contract.
“I’m happy with him and his performance. At the moment there’s nothing to say.”
