Crystal Palace have been warned that it's likely to take a substantial fee to prize midfielder Conor Gallagher away from Chelsea on a permanent deal.

What's the story?

The highly-rated 21-year-old joined Palace on a season-long loan deal from the Blues over the summer and has already established himself as a fan's favourite following a string of full-blooded displays.

And now, journalist Tom Barclay has claimed the Eagles are going to have to stump up between £30m and £40m if they want to secure the youngster's services on a long-term basis.

The reporter told GIVEMESPORT: "If Chelsea do want to cash in on him and don't think he's quite good enough for them, he'll go for a lot of money, I imagine.

"He signed a five-year deal under Frank Lampard, so he has got another three years or so on that. We're probably talking about £30m or £40m, I imagine. You've also got to think how much is it going to cost to replace a player like that?"

Crystal Palace fans may be concerned

Gallagher burst onto the scene during a 12-month spell with West Bromwich Albion last term, scoring two goals and providing a further two assists in a hugely disappointing Baggies side.

Although the box-to-box dynamo was unable to prevent the Midlands outfit from suffering relegation from the Premier League, he caught the eye with several impressive performances.

The England U21 international did enough to earn another chance in the top-flight with Palace, and he's already shown why Eagles boss Patrick Vieira brought him to Selhurst Park.

A return of two goals and one assist in his opening eight league outings has endeared Gallagher to the south London outfit's passionate fanbase, but pulling on a Palace shirt on a permanent basis is likely to take a substantial outlay.

With his current contract not expiring until the summer of 2025, the youngster's current market value is £13.5m, and that fee is only set to rise.

Therefore, the capital club's supporters may be concerned at Barclay's latest revelation regarding their midfield maestro, with worries over life after Gallagher already setting in.

And, in other news...Vieira must unleash “fearless” £13.5m-rated Palace wizard, he could have a huge impact