Gallagher determined to hit the ground running at Swansea City

Conor Gallagher is determined to hit the ground running after sealing his loan move to Swansea City.

The Chelsea midfielder has joined the Swans for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, having been recalled by his parent club from a stint with Charlton.

Gallagher completed a medical and the formalities of his move today, and trained with his new team-mates ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Wigan.

The 19-year-old made a big impression at The Valley, scoring six goals, providing two assists and winning two penalties in his 26 appearances for the Addicks.

It means the Europa League winner joins the Swans having already got plenty of Championship experience under his belt.

And, with that in mind, Gallagher is looking to quickly acclimatise to his new surroundings and make an impact.

“I’m very excited to join a big club like Swansea City,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running and making a contribution to the team.

“I have gained a lot of experience from my time with Charlton, I have played almost every minute in the Championship.

“My whole time there was great, and this is a new challenge to get excited about.

“I think there is a bit of expectation because I have scored a few goals, and I like that bit of pressure and I am looking forward to showing what I can do.

“I am a box-to-box midfielder, I am hard-working, I like to think I am good technically and able to score and assist, but defend too.”

During his time with Charlton, Gallagher played alongside former Swan Darren Pratley in the centre of the park.

Pratley is best remembered in SA1 for his play-off semi-final clinching goal against Nottingham Forest in 2011, finding the net from halfway in stoppage time to spark delirious celebrations at the Liberty Stadium.

Gallagher admits with a smile that the story of the goal is one he was regaled with a few times at Charlton, but revealed how Pratley always spoke warmly of his time with the Swans.

“I loved my time with Prats, he is a lovely guy and a great player, even at his age,” joked Gallagher.

“Obviously I did not get a chance to talk about the move because it has all happened so quickly.

“But I did get to hear about that goal, and he always said he loved his time at Swansea.”

Gallagher will find a number of familiar faces in the Swansea dressing room.

He worked with Steve Cooper as part of the England Under-17 squad that won the World Cup, where he also play alongside fellow new arrivals Rhian Brewster and Marc Guehi.

Brewster and Guehi were also team-mates in the Stamford Bridge youth set-up, and the boyhood Blue hopes that familiarity will help him settle quickly at his new club.

“Marc and Rhian are two really good mates of mine and it makes it that bit easier over the first few days,” said Gallagher.

“We know each other on and off the pitch, they have been good helping me settle in.

“But I am also looking forward to getting to know the rest of the squad too and getting down to work.”

Gallagher is a young player used to success, having tasted World Cup success, won countless trophies at club youth level and been part of the Chelsea squad that sealed Europa League glory in Baku in May.

It means he comes with a positive outlook when it comes to the Swans chances of clinching a play-off place come the start of May.

“I want to help Swansea get in the play-offs because I definitely think we are capable of doing that,” he said.

“With this squad, if we get a good run of games, we could even get automatic promotion because I don’t think you want to be ruling anything out.

“But, on a personal level, it will be about going one game at a time, taking it as it comes and trying to win each game.”