Tottenham Hotspur reportedly plan to rekindle their interest in Chelsea's Conor Gallagher this summer if there is no resolution to his contract stand-off with the Blues.
The England international is now in the final 18 months of his deal at Stamford Bridge and was thought to have been Spurs' priority target for a midfield reinforcement in January.
Chelsea will come under pressure to offload Gallagher if no renewal is agreed, but the Lilywhites ultimately opted against making a late winter move for the 24-year-old, who supposedly had no desire to move on midway through the season.
Gallagher is highly rated by Mauricio Pochettino and has often donned the captain's armband during Reece James's injury absences this season, but according to The Telegraph, there has still been little progress in talks over fresh terms.
Talks between all parties will continue in the coming months, but Chelsea will be open to a departure if Gallagher still refuses to put pen to paper, at which point Spurs will reignite their pursuit.
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Ange Postecoglou's team supposedly made a late enquiry for Gallagher during the last summer window, but Chelsea demanded a fee of £50m, which Spurs were not prepared to fork out.
Postecoglou has not lost sight of Gallagher, though, and the Australian apparently believes that the former Crystal Palace loanee would slot seamlessly into his high-pressing system.
The 24-year-old has been linked to a multitude of Premier League teams since bursting onto the scene during his time with West Bromwich Albion, but up until now, Chelsea have preferred to do a deal with teams not challenging for the Champions League places.
As a result, Tottenham and Newcastle United have been left frustrated in their efforts to sign Gallagher, who has also been on the radars of Everton, West Ham United, Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Midway through the 2022-23 season, Everton are said to have succeeded with a £45m bid for their academy product, but Gallagher turned his nose up at a move to Goodison Park.
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Thirteen months later, the report adds that Gallagher should have a renewal offer on the table in the not-so-distant future, but there are no guarantees that he will prolong his stay in West London.
Gallagher has been with Chelsea since 2008, and following four separate loan spells away from the club, he has banked six goals and seven assists in 77 matches for the Blues in all competitions.
A productive 2023-24 campaign to date has seen Gallagher score three goals and set up six more in 32 matches, although Pochettino's side still entered Sunday's game with Manchester City in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Gallagher could arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who is also due to become a free agent in 2025 and has long been linked with a move to Juventus.
Ben Knapton
