After being one of the stars of Patrick Vieira's debut campaign at Crystal Palace, it was always likely that Conor Gallagher would be linked with a return to Selhurst Park this summer.

The 21-year-old earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad thanks to his performances under Vieira but his future at Stamford Bridge remains unclear, as he currently has top-class talent such as N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic ahead of him in the pecking order.

Reports from earlier in the summer suggested that Chelsea would demand £50m from any team wanting to sign Gallagher permanently, but a loan move could still be on the cards for the Eagles this summer.

What's the word?

Palace, along with a number of Premier League sides, have been heavily linked with Gallagher throughout the summer, and it seems as if they are not giving up in their pursuit of the talented midfielder.

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge said:

"He was an England starter for a few games, you know, so he has to be wary of that.

“And I’ve always said all summer that I don’t think Palace have ever completely given up on him. I think they would walk over hot coals to get him back for a second year.”

Huge for Vieira?

It was clear how important the "unbelievable" Gallagher was to Palace last season, and Vieira would no doubt love to have him back at Selhurst Park.

The 21-year-old was ranked, according to WhoScored, as the best performing player in the Eagles' squad, averaging a 7.08 rating for his performances in the Premier League after contributing eight goals and three assists in 34 appearances.

Only Wilfried Zaha would average more key passes and dribbles per game last season, which emphasises the attacking impetus that Gallagher provided from midfield.

He also played his part defensively, as only Tyrick Mitchell averaged more tackles per game, which again just shows how important he was to Vieira at Selhurst Park.

The French manager was full of praise for Gallagher last season, saying:

"The energy that he brings to the team – it allows other players to follow him behind.

‘The majority of the time he is the one who starts the pressing and puts on the pressure. That really forces the players behind to follow and to reduce the distances between the lines. He is a massive player.’

Therefore, Palace fans will be glad to hear that the club are working hard to bring Gallagher back, as they would certainly be stronger with him in their side.