There is a lot of logic in what Syd says.

However there are lots of bridges to cross and obstacles to. If we assume Chelsea want Zaha and he is happy to go. Also assume we want Gallagher (and other Chelsea players i suspect).

The Man U percentage is a problem and that needs to be overcome particularly if take another player in exchange or part exchange as the respective values are then less certain.

We don't particularly want to sell Zaha unless we get an offer we can't refuse so will hold on to him if we can't get this because of his value to us. Also if he goes we need to replace and this takes time.

I wonder if Wilf can be persuaded to sign a 2 year extension with an agreement he can be loaned to Chelsea for this season with an agreed purchase price of £40 million. We also get a loan fee.

We buy or Loan Lozano from Italy as replacement.

There are 3 players who come to mind in Chelsea benchwarmers who come to mind. I have ignored Hudson-Odoi as although he may be willing to leave on loan I don't think he would suit us
Gallagher , RLC and Broja.

We can not afford RLC wages so if he is permanent he needs to take a wage drop if Loan Chelsea need to pay half wages. Therefore I think if it is him it will be a loan with obligation to buy

Other 2 are on lower wages so this is not a problem.
We know Gallagher and he knows us and this is really positive. However he is Chelsea supporter and wants to try his luck. My guess this weekend will be the telling time if he is not a starter he may ask for a move.

Broja impressed at Soton and would suit us so I think he is a possibility.

I wonder if early next week Broja will arrive on a permanent for £20 million and Gallagher on a season Loan with agreed purchase price of £30 million with Wilf going other way on loan (after signing new contract) with an obligation for Chelsea to buy

Sorry “does NOT get regular playing time” I meant

Tuchel loves rotation. This is going to be a fraught season. He will want to keep a player like Gallagher around, especially with him not looking likely of going to the world cup.

I think Conor will stay there. Ruben or Hudson-Odoi maybe.

I ain't got nuthin' funny to say. Sorry.

Running with Syd's post for a moment, It seems to me:
1. We are the club in the weaker position owing to the length of Wilf's contract and the likelihood that Wilf would want to jump at the opportunity to go to Chelsea.
2. I would be surprised if Wilf would countenance an extended contract given what happened when he signed his last one with us.
3. Gallagher wants to play for Chelsea and to go the World Cup this year.

One possible deal IMO would be:
- we swap Wilf for Gallagher and pay Chelsea some money
- Chelsea include a buy-back clause (at a higher fee) like the one they put in the Ake contract with Bournemmouth.
Gallagher might just agree to that because if he progressed with us sufficiently in Chelsea's eyes, Chelsea would exercise the buy-back clause and
- Conor gets to play regular football now,
- has the chance of playing himself into the World Cup in Qatar
- and be back at his beloved Chelsea in say 3 years time when he will be nearing the peak years of his career.

As I said at the start, we are the club in the weaker position so don't have the best of bargaining chips.

I think you are pretty much absolutely right here. There's nothing I'd disagree with at all. The only "barrier" to making it happen is whether Connor himself would accept it. Nothing else.

I have no doubt at all that we would do the deal (we've already made it clear if Wilf won't re-up then we'll take the money now, and he's pretty much made it clear he won't re-up if a CL club comes in for him). I think Chelsea would do the deal IF indeed they want Wilf. I think they'd like to keep Connor but they also recognise that he's not starter material and staying probably isn't best for his career and if sending him to us would help get them a player they really do want, I can't see them saying "no" even if they let Connor go somewhat reluctantly. Plus, they're not stupid. They saw how he flourished last year and if they have a buy-back clause, they know they'd probably get a better player back in two/three years' time than the player they have, but don't really need now.

It boils down to Connor. We all know he wants to break through at Chelsea. And we all know that's probably not going to happen any time in the immediate future, at least nowhere close to the extent it did last season at Palace. At Chelsea, Connor plays in the Carabao Cup and comes off the bench for the odd twenty minutes in the PL. Will he settle for that, even as a Chelsea supporter, with his England career just taking off?

I can't anticipate what he'll do but what he said at the end of last season about Chelsea isn't really applicable in the harsh light of today, now that a new season has begun. What happens next I won't guess but I think Connor's return to us is very much on the table for discussion, whether it happens or not. And for the most part, it'll be Connor's decision to make.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

Lot of sense in that regarding Connors true value in the transfer market. Another thing not mentioned much is , how much could he earn from a move.? It’s said he is on £17,000 with Chelsea, not that much in todays salary stakes. In particular for a full international. And when it’s considered how much interest there is in him , surely he would double that at a low estimate. There has been no mention of a new contract for him, so would a move be an attraction on that basis alone?