Crystal Palace told to smash transfer record with £60m bid for Chelsea midfielder Gallagher

Darren Ambrose reckons that Crystal Palace should smash their transfer record to sign Conor Gallagher permanently in the January transfer window.

The England international, 21, is on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Gallagher is the Eagles’ top scorer with six goals as well as claiming three assists.

Former Palace winger Ambrose is urging the South London outfit to go big for Gallagher at the start of 2022. Their highest fee paid was £27m to sign Christian Benteke from Liverpool in August 2016.

“I mean break the bank,” Ambrose told talkSPORT. “[I think] £60m could do it. He’s playing every week, he’s happy.

“Palace is a club going forward and they’ve got a manager in Patrick Vieira who is someone you want to learn off.

“I’m not saying it is a stepping stone, but it could potentially be a stepping stone if Palace don’t go the way he thinks they should. I think they’re on the up and heading towards the top half of the table and beyond. If they don’t then that’s a stepping stone for him and he learns his trade.

“Does he play week in and week out at Chelsea when everyone is fit? Probably not -even though I feel he could or should.

“Nobody could tell before the season what Conor Gallagher would do for Crystal Palace. He hadn’t really done that when he was at West Brom.

“So chequebook out, £60m and try and entice him to sign for Crystal Palace – they are an outstanding club and the fans love him.

“At the moment they are a mid-to-low Premier League team. But with what Patrick is doing at that club they are looking at mid-to-high at the moment.”

Asked if a player should want to be a regular starter at a mid-table club or settle for cameo appearances for one of England’s big four, Ambrose replied: “Mid-table – all day.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD