Tottenham Hotspur decided to scratch a long-term itch by signing Conor Gallagher in the winter transfer window as they looked to bolster their midfield.
Unfortunately, the ill-thought-out transfer move has backfired spectacularly, with Gallagher riding the bench under Igor Tudor after failing to make an impact under Thomas Frank.
Many saw this from a mile away as Gallagher was not the profile Tottenham needed in the engine room.
Spurs’ midfield already had ball-carriers and ball-winners. What they were missing was a progressive deep-lying playmaker to orchestrate the first phase of build-up and link defence to attack.
Gallagher does not fit that profile, and whoever came up with and approved the idea deserves to pay for such a poorly-conceived transfer.
With several players poised to leave the club at the end of the season, Spurs now face a dilemma.
Gallagher is the highest earner (reportedly £200,000) but doesn’t fit into the team. Do they cut their losses or hope an incoming manager can get the best of him?
Gallagher’s career in numbers
Tottenham had eyes on Gallagher since he broke out on loan at Crystal Palace as a tireless box-to-box operator.
He continued to impress in the 2023/2024 Premier League campaign with Chelsea, covering a total of 407.16 km, ranking him fourth overall.
However, Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhinha, and Rodrigo Bentancur already have boundless energy. What they lacked was masterful/progressive distribution.
Imagine the shock when Spurs brought in another midfielder who had posted underwhelming progressive numbers over the years.
Across his three most recent seasons in the Premier League, Gallagher’s progressive passes per 90 went from 1.3, the seventh lowest among midfielders to play 500+ minutes, to 3.0 and then down to 2.4.
While the latter two numbers, recorded while playing for Chelsea, suggest a more forward-thinking environment, he still only ranked 28th and 44th among his positional peers.
He is not good at playing the ball through the lines either. He attempted just three through balls over the full 2024/25 La Liga season.
What he does bring is intensity. In the 2023/24 Premier League season, Gallagher averaged 44.0 high-intensity pressures per 90 minutes.
While 28 central midfielders (1,000+ minutes) recorded more, Gallagher was playing for a team with 59% possession over the season.
Among the 28 midfielders above him in the rankings, only five played for teams that had had more than 50% of the ball. That’s relevant because players on teams who see less possession put more pressure on.
Gallagher has his qualities, though they are clearly not aligned with what Spurs need right now. But he is here, and the club must decide what to do with the English midfielder.
Mauricio Pochettino or Roberto De Zerbi hold the key to Gallagher’s future
Ultimately, Gallagher’s future at Tottenham may hinge more on the identity of the next man in the dugout.
If Spurs turn to Mauricio Pochettino, there is at least a pathway. He excelled under the Argentine tactician at Chelsea.
Pochettino values Gallagher’s relentless energy, vertical running and willingness to press from the front, traits that align with his high-octane, transitional style.
Under him, Gallagher can be a functional cog rather than a stylistic misfit.
But if Tottenham are serious about evolving into a more controlled, possession-dominant side, then Roberto De Zerbi is the more coherent choice.
De Zerbi’s system demands midfielders who are press-resistant, positionally intelligent, and capable of progressing the ball through tight central zones with precision.
That profile does not describe Gallagher, whose strengths lie in chaos rather than control.
And that is where Spurs must be ruthless. Hiring De Zerbi represents a commitment to a clearer, more modern footballing structure, but it also means difficult decisions.
Gallagher is on significant wages and stylistically out of sync. He will become expendable. They will also have to say goodbye to dreams of Pochettino’s return.
If Tottenham want to build something sustainable, they cannot keep forcing square pegs into round holes.
Choosing De Zerbi means choosing a direction and accepting that Gallagher does not belong in it.
