Conor Gallagher has responded to former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel after the German compared him to N’Golo Kante.
Kante has made 262 appearances for Chelsea since he joined from Leicester City in 2016, helping the London club win the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
Gallagher broke into the Chelsea first team this campaign after a remarkable loan at Premier League side Crystal Palace last term in which he was named the south London club’s Player of the Year, scoring eight goals across 34 matches.
Kante and Gallagher started the 2022-23 season working under Tuchel before the German coach was sacked in September and replaced by Graham Potter.
During his time in charge of the Stamford Bridge club, Tuchel believed that Gallagher had similar attributes to Kante.
Gallagher, who is currently with the England team in Qatar ahead of the World Cup, has now been quizzed about that comparison.
‘When he said it, it did make me laugh and surprise me a little bit,’ Gallagher said.
‘It’s obviously a massive compliment, even if I’m half the player Kante is because I feel like he’s the best midfielder in the world, probably still now when he’s fit.
‘We are obviously different players. He probably gets around a bit more than me, he’s a bit sharper than me. So yeah, we’re different players.’
Kante is out of contract at the end of the 2022-23 season and he recently rejected the club’s latest contract proposal, with the player seeking a three-year deal to the two-year one on offer.
