Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, in a move that could see one of their own stars go the other way to Stamford Bridge.

The England international, who is set to captain the Blues this weekend against Bournemouth, could play his final game for his boyhood club after failing to make headway around a new contract, with his current deal set to expire next year.

Talks around a potential new deal for the 23-year-old have been ongoing for over a year now, but with no progress having been made, rumours of an exit from Stamford Bridge have gathered pace in recent weeks, with Aston Villa now seemingly at the centre of it all.

Unai Emery’s side secured Champions League qualification over Tottenham in midweek following Spurs’ 2-0 loss to Manchester City, allowing them extra pull when it comes to making deals in the upcoming transfer window. Spurs were originally first in line for Gallagher’s services when rumours around a potential move away cropped up last summer, but now they seem to have fallen behind if there is to be a race this summer.

There is understood to be a good relationship between the two boards at Chelsea and Villa, who could offer up young striker Jhon Durán as an added incentive, a former target of Chelsea’s from the January transfer window earlier in the campaign.

It is unclear whether Chelsea still has any interest in Durán after Nicolas Jackson has impressed over his last few performances, but it is highly unlikely they would consider any sort of swap deal, including Gallagher, given that would mean the club couldn’t take advantage of his ‘pure profit’ status as an academy product in accordance with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

Gallagher is believed to have impressed the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge, who have valued him in the past at around £50m, this season with his excellent performances under Mauricio Pochettino, who has previously highlighted the star’s importance to their success this season.

Ahead of the January transfer window earlier in the campaign, he claimed, “He’s important because of Chelsea values. He’s a product that came from the academy. Of course, he loves the club, and he’s very committed.

“You can see on the pitch: he runs, he plays, he fights. He does everything to try to win. Yes, I think he is a really important player—always the type of player that the coaching staff and the team want. That is between the club and the player. For me, I don’t need to talk too much because it’s clear it’s not my decision.”

With the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Enzo Fernandez, and Romeo Lavia coming back from injury and hopefully fully fit by the start of next season, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Gallagher’s place in the squad isn’t completely safe and will be contested. The Blues have been able to rely on him, even in their lowest moments, with the 23-year-old having had his most productive season of his career so far, netting seven goals and providing nine assists across all competitions.

Chelsea won’t want him running down his contract in order to leave as a free agent at the end of next season, but if both parties can come to an agreement in the near future, it could be the best for all involved.