Chelsea starlet Conor Gallagher hoping to follow in pal Mason Mount’s footsteps at Charlton
CONOR GALLAGHER grew up idolising Frank Lampard.
Now the box-to-box Chelsea midfielder, 19, is making a big impression on Lamps while on loan at Charlton this season, and hopes to emulate his big pal Mason Mount.
Gallagher’s six goals in the Championship, the result of his perfectly-time runs into the box, are reminiscent of Blues legend Lampard.
And the Stamford Bridge boss contacted the youngster to hail him.
Gallagher said: “He sent me a message saying how happy he is for me, that my work at Charlton isn’t going unnoticed and everyone is talking about me.”
Burnley boss Sean Dyche is believed to be preparing a January loan move for him.
But Lampard is keen on Gallagher remaining at The Valley for the rest of the season as he is doing so well at a club not too far away from his Cobham home.
SOMEONE I CAN LOOK UP TO
He has already made 21 Championship starts and is making the same sort of impact Mount and Fikayo Tomori had at Derby and Tammy Abraham at Aston Villa in the second tier last season.
Fellow midfield ace Mount, 20, a great friend of Gallagher, is serving as an inspiration.
Since his year with the Rams, Mount has racked up 26 first-team appearances for Chelsea and won six England caps.
Gallagher said: “That’s what has given me the amount of belief I have. If I carry on doing well, there is a good chance I can carry on next season playing for Chelsea.
“That isn’t going to be easy but I’ve got to keep doing what I’m doing this season and see what they say. When Derby were on TV last season, I’d always watch them.
“Mason, who is a mate of mine as well, plays in a similar position to me, so I’ve watched him a lot.
“It’s nice to see he’s doing well and someone I can look up to.”
Gallagher has known Mount since he was eight.
And he added: “We have come through the academy system and shared so many experiences.
“We used to go abroad for tournaments. I remember our first one was in Holland when we were just nine or ten and we won it.
“In one of the finals, I was playing with Mason and Declan Rice in midfield. It’s crazy to think that both of them are playing for England.
“Hopefully one day I can join them.”
It is staggering to think this is the first season Gallagher has ever played senior football.
'LAMPARD ALWAYS BEST PLAYER'
He was an unused sub in Baku as Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final and played in a friendly in Boston back in May.
Now, he is one of the first on Addicks boss Lee Bowyer’s teamsheet and has four England Under-21 caps.
He said: “That’s been a great achievement for me. At the start of the season my target was to break into the England U21 squad — and I’ve done that early on.
“That has shown my progress has not gone unnoticed with England, either.
“Recently while on international duty, I bumped into Mason at St George’s Park and he said, ‘Well done’ and asked how I was doing. I said the same to him.”
Gallagher has always used Lampard as the player he would most like to emulate.
He added: “I’m a Chelsea fan and he was always their best player as I was growing up.
“He is the all-time top scorer, a box-to-box midfielder. That’s just how I want to be.
“When I was in the academy, the staff would give me videos of him playing, how he makes the box and gets on the ball and always scanning — that sort of stuff.
“The main skill of his that I wanted to master was how many goals he scored.
CHELSEA NEWS LIVE: Follow for all the latest on the Blues
“That is why he was so successful because he scored so many from midfield. It’s something I want to have in my career.”
Gallagher trained with the Blues first team since he was 16.
He said: “I remember the first time I trained with them. There was Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic, all those players.
“I was nervous but the more I trained the more comfortable and confident I became.
“It was a great experience to sit on the bench for the Europa League final and be part of that.
“The post-season friendly in Boston was crazy. It was important to stay humble because you’ve travelled with the first team but you’ve got to keep working hard because the main aim is to be a regular player for the first team and I’m not there yet.
“It was a fantastic learning curve. Hopefully I can get more chances like that.”
Former England, Leeds and Newcastle midfielder Bowyer has proved to be a perfect mentor for Gallagher this season.
Gallagher added: “Chelsea thought that Championship football would be a good level for me — and Charlton are a perfect club with a good coach who was playing not too long ago.
“I play in the same position as he did so he understands what I’m going through and that has meant he has been able to help me as much as possible.
“Lee gives me so many small details — small movements where I can find space or score goals.
most read in football
“He knows what player I want to be and what player I am. The team here is great. I’ve loved every minute of it. I can see there are going to be ups and downs this season.
“Hopefully I can play the whole season and see what I can achieve in the team.”