Tuchel's hint over Gallagher's future with Chelsea boss already "convinced"

Thomas Tuchel has already given a sneaky hint over his plans for Conor Gallagher after a brilliant season in the Premier League so far.

Chelsea loaned the England Under-21 international out to Crystal Palace for the season despite impressing over pre-season.

And the midfielder has gone on to become a sensation at Selhurst Park, instantly becoming a fan favourite after some incredible displays.

They include braces against Everton and West Ham while also grabbing a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad.

Patrick Vieira is a huge fan of the 21-year-old - who has six goals and three assists in 16 Premier League appearances.

But he is not the only one and Tuchel cannot wait to see Gallagher return to the club in the summer.

"We love Conor. We are convinced about him," said Tuchel.

"We took the decision for Conor because when we looked at the midfield - Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, N'Golo Kante - he was considered number four in the group.

"Conor knew this all the way. An opportunity came up where he could clearly see more minutes and more responsibility.

"Would he be the same Conor if he had stayed here? Obviously not, because the situation will then be different.

"Maybe, then, the same people would say, 'How can they rely on Conor Gallagher'?, or 'Why don't they give him more minutes'?

"If Mateo hadn't been injured, it wouldn't really matter. So, no, you cannot go back to these decisions that are made for the club and for the player. Everybody agreed on it.

"And it's obviously a good decision because he is doing so well and everybody is happy. That's because he plays every single game, and knows how important he is to the team at Crystal Palace. This is a huge part of being at the best level you can be."

There are high hopes at Stamford Bridge that Gallagher can follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates Mason Mount and Reece James to become a key player for the club.

This is the youngster's fourth loan spell away now after stints with Charlton, Swansea and West Brom and he has impressed at every level.

With Jorginho and N'Golo Kante entering their 30s, Chelsea often try to look at having a ready-made solution to fill their boots.

And Gallagher could prove to be the answer while Tuchel remains a huge fan of his.