‘A machine’ - £115m superstar justifies Newcastle United transfer links for 'perfect' Eddie Howe player

Moises Caicedo has hailed Conor Gallagher as “a machine” amid reports linking him with Newcastle United.

Various outlets claim the Magpies are plotting a summer swoop for the England international. Just one year left on his contract has put Premier League clubs - including Tottenham Hotspur - on high alert. 

Gallagher has worn the armband for most of the campaign while Reece James recovers on the sidelines. Chelsea’s league form has been indifferent but he did lead them to a Carabao Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.

The 24-year-old has placed speculation regarding his future on the back burner to emerge as one of the Blues’ only success stories from the campaign. Mauricio Pochettino previously admitted he is powerless to keep Gallagher should he decide to move on.

Both club and player remain deadlocked over a new contract and, if no deal can be agreed, they will look to offload him this summer. As an academy product, Chelsea would also receive pure profit from any sale - enhancing their FFP/PSR position.

He is understood to prefer a London move but the project at Newcastle could prove tempting. Despite having just one year left on his deal, Chelsea are thought to be holding out for around £50million.

That number appears steep for a position the Magpies are stacked in, with Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Lewis Miley and Joe Willock to return next season. But Gallagher’s teammate, £115million midfielder Moises Caicedo, has justified that fee - insisting he is a “machine” to play alongside.

"Conor is like a machine,” he told Sky Sports. “I like to play alongside Conor and Enzo. With Conor, he has different characteristics. Enzo is more of an offensive player and Conor is more defensive and he helps me a lot when we need to recover the ball. It’s amazing to play with both of them."