Conor Gallagher

Chelsea

Early career

After playing for grassroots teams Bookham Colts, Leatherhead Predators and Epsom Eagles, Gallagher joined Chelsea at the age of six. In October 2018, he signed a new contract with Chelsea, contracting him to the club until June 2021. He had minor heart surgery that year. In May 2019, he was an unused substitute in the 2019 UEFA Europa League final, collecting a winner's medal. He was awarded Chelsea's Academy Player of the Year for the 2018–19 season.

2019–20 season: Loans to Charlton Athletic and Swansea City

In August 2019, Gallagher signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea and moved on loan to Championship club Charlton Athletic. After his first month with Charlton, in which he scored three goals in six matches, he won the EFL Young Player of the Month award for August. On 14 January 2020, Gallagher was recalled by Chelsea. On 15 January 2020, the day after leaving Charlton, Gallagher joined Championship club Swansea City on loan for the rest of the 2019–20 season. During his time in South Wales, Gallagher was part of the Swansea team that reached the semi-finals of the Championship play-off, where they lost 3–2 to Brentford on aggregate. He later said that his time at Swansea allowed him to be more creative as a player.

2020–21 season: Loan to West Bromwich Albion

On 17 September 2020, Gallagher signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea, and joined fellow Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on…

Gallagher's family heritage meant he was eligible to play for England, Scotland or the Republic of Ireland until he made a competitive appearance for any at senior level. He represented England at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-20 youth levels, winning the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. On 8 October 2019, Gallagher received his first call up to the England U21 squad and made his debut on 11 October as a substitute during a 2–2 draw against Slovenia in Maribor. On 14 November 2021, he received his first call-up to the England senior squad. The following day, he earned his first cap, coming on as a half-time substitute in England's 10–0 win over San Marino. He made his first start in a 2–1 friendly win over Switzerland on 26 March 2022, assisting a goal for Luke Shaw. In November 2022, he was named in England's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where he was an unused substitute in all five of the team's matches. In June 2024, he was named in England's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. In the team's opening match against Serbia, he made his tournament debut as a 69th minute substitute for Trent Alexander-Arnold, as England won 1–0 to go top of Group C. After replacing Alexander-Arnold in the 54th minute of the second match against Denmark, Gallagher made his first start of the tournament in the 0–0 draw with Slovenia, playing the first half before being substituted for Kobbie Mainoo at half time. He went on to make substitute appearances against Slovakia in…

Gallagher has said his "best position is as a box-to-box midfielder [...] I can play deeper and I can play attacking as well", and was described by Lee Bowyer, his manager at Charlton at the time, as "an all-round midfielder. His work-rate is unreal, he puts his foot in for tackles and he can also see a pass". Patrick Vieira likened Gallagher's style of play to that of former players Ray Parlour and Frank Lampard, who was Gallagher's idol while he was growing up.

Gallagher was born in Epsom, Surrey to Lee and Samantha Gallagher and is the youngest of their four sons. He grew up in Great Bookham and attended Howard of Effingham School. His older brothers, Jake, Josh and Dan, are footballers at non-League level. Gallagher's family are Chelsea fans, and he lived a ten-minute drive from their training ground in Stoke d'Abernon. In June 2026, Gallagher announced his engagement to Aine May.