ENZO MARESCA is targeting his former club – as Conor Gallagher inches closer to the exit at Stamford Bridge.
Reports in the last 24 hours have suggested that Gallagher is in early talks with Aston Villa as he plans to leave Chelsea.
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Gallagher – who is expected to play a key role in England’s Euro campaign – has just 12 months remaining on his contract at the west London club.
And despite calls from fans to link him to a longer deal, no contract has been agreed yet.
It alerted a number of clubs, but Villa have now rushed to the front of the queue.
The Midlands club believe he can be a strong addition to their midfield and help them build on the success they achieved last season.
They also believe he is capable of playing in the Champions League and would suit manager Unai Emery’s style.
Gallagher’s departure will leave new coach Maresca with a huge headache.
The midfielder is a fan favorite – and was seen as Chelsea’s second-best player last season, behind only Cole Palmer.
But SunSport can reveal that Maresca is interested in signing one of his former players to fill the void.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who was brilliant under Maresca at the King Power, is top of his list to replace Gallagher.
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Dewsbury-Hall was tracked by Liverpool last season and is seen as a like-for-like swap and someone Maresca is convinced can make it to Chelsea.
But Leicester are unlikely to let him go on the cheap and should expect at least £40m for the midfielder.
The Foxes do not need to sell any of their players. Instead, they are focusing on trying to grow their squad as they continue to search for a new coach.
Last week, SunSport revealed that Steve Cooper, the bookies’ favorite for the job, had indicated he would be interested in moving to the King Power.
Cooper turned down the chance to manage Burnley, with sources saying he is holding out for a job in the top flight.
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