Patrick Vieira makes big Conor Gallagher statement amid Wilfried Zaha Chelsea transfer chances

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has kept a positive mindset on his side’s chances of signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher again on loan this summer amid potential swap deal talks in relation to Wilfried Zaha.

The Blues are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements following Timo Werner’s £25million RB Leipzig return. Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi could follow the German in heading for the exit doors before September 1.

Chelsea have already signed Raheem Sterling, who by his own admission, had settled in well early doors to life in West London.

However, more forwards may need to be signed to balance out a squad that looks quite light up top going into the Tottenham London derby this weekend.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is target number one and manager Thomas Tuchel couldn’t avoid the questions surrounding a player who scored 70+ goals when together at Borussia Dortmund.

“I enjoyed a lot working with him [at Borussia Dortmund], was a pleasure,” he said in his pre- match press conference on Friday.

“Some players stay your players because you work very very close, Auba is one of these players. We had a very close relationship. Always when we played him here with Arsenal, there was always straight away this close bond. They always stay your players in a way, Auba is one of these guys.”

He added on the potential Arsenal problems: “No concerns because I experienced none of this. This is nothing to do with the situation in Arsenal which I will also not comment on out of respect. It’s not on me to comment, I don’t know what happened. In Dortmund, there was never an issue.”

Will Aubameyang on his own be enough? Potentially but with four players seemingly off this summer including the already gone Romelu Lukaku, Sterling, Aubameyang and one more attacker would balance this overhaul more equally.

This is where Zaha comes into it. TalkSport have reported that Chelsea are being urged to make a late move for the 29-year-old with owner Boehly confident of securing a ‘cut-price’ deal for a player who has one year left to run on his current deal.

The Times had reported also that Palace were hoping to lure Chelsea midfielder Gallagher back for a Second loan. The Englishmen is a player Tuchel has spoken highly of and it’s understood that a new midfielder would have to arrive in SW6 amid Frenkie de Jong talks to even allow the 25- year-old’s latest temporary departure to come into question.

With rumours that a Zaha for Gallagher swap deal could be on, whilst not commenting directly on his number 11’s own future, Vieira confirmed that one part of this transfer equation was at least somewhat correct.

“The window is still open. Conor is still a Chelsea player until we hear otherwise,” the Frenchman said in his pre-match press conference to Liverpool on Friday afternoon.