‘That’s not entirely in our hands’ – Palace chairman Steve Parish on future of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says that the decision about whether the club can bring Conor Gallagher back next season lies with the midfielder himself and Chelsea.

The 22-year-old has excelled during his season-long loan at Selhurst Park from Thomas Tuchel’s Blues.

Gallagher has made 36 appearances this season and scored eight goals in all competitions.

The England international picked up the Player of the Season award on Tuesday evening. He beat Young Player of the Season, Tyrick Mitchell, and Players’ Player of the Season, Marc Guehi, to the award.

Gallagher will return to Chelsea at the end of the season to fight for his place in the first team.

Asked after the event what the club needed to do over the summer to ensure another successful campaign, Parish said: “Obviously with Conor, we’ve got to see what we can do there.

“He’s going back, and we’ve got to either replace him or see if we can get him back. That’s not in our hands entirely, so we have to accept that.

“We’ve got one or two other situations that are well-documented, so keeping what we’ve got here is an important thing.

“Then we’ve got one or two ideas of where we think we can add and make a difference, give ourselves something different, get even better at keeping the ball and be a bit more damaging when we’ve got it.

“There’s no limit to our ambition at the football club. We’ll obviously look to bring some of the youngsters through that we’ve got who are very good.

“We start every year dreaming of being Leicester – that’s what we do every summer. There’s no point of being in it otherwise. We just keep trying to improve.”

Gallagher, who had impressed during his start to life at Palace, was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad in November and made his international debut in the 10-0 win against San Marino. He has earned two further caps against Switzerland and Ivory Coast during his time with the Eagles.

With the World Cup in Qatar starting in November and Gallagher’s place in Chelsea’s starting line up not guaranteed, it could open the door for Palace to make another loan move or bring him back on a permanent deal.

“Yes, maybe, but his future and that decision lies not with us but with him and Chelsea,” explained Parish on the winter World Cup playing a factor in the midfielder’s future.

“They’re the people that have to decide. Once they decide what their choice is, they know where we are and what we want – we’re not going to pretend any different. But we’ve got to respect them as a football club – he’s their player.

“At the end of the season, he goes back to them, and they’ll make their decision. Based on that, we’ll be there.

“If everybody thinks it’s the right thing for him to come back, then we would love it. If it doesn’t work out, we wish him all the best as well.”

PICTURE: MICAH CROOK/PPAUK