Chelsea
midfielder Conor Gallagher's season-long loan move to West Brom is
"basically done", says Slaven Bilic.
Gallagher is poised to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge, before Frank
Lampard allows the England U21 international to get more game time and
experience in the Premier League.
"I think with Conor it's a paperwork thing," Bilic said at a press
conference on Thursday. "It's basically done but it's paperwork.
"We are delighted. I also know the player from the Championship where last
season he made a huge impact, first at Charlton and then at Swansea. We were
in the Championship so we know his quality."
Gallagher had appeared set to join Crystal Palace earlier this month, only
for Roy Hodgson to sign Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi instead on a
season-long loan.
Premier League rules state that a club can only take one loanee from a
fellow top-flight club.
The 20-year-old, who is yet to make a first-team appearance for Chelsea,
scored six goals in 25 league appearances during the first half of last
season at Charlton.
He was then recalled before he joined Swansea on loan and went on to help
them reach the Championship play-off semi-final.
'Ivanovic brings us PL experience'
West Brom recently completed the signing of Branislav Ivanovic on a one-year
contract, sealing his return to the Premier League after three years away.
The 36-year-old left Chelsea in February 2017 and has been playing in Russia
with Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Ivanovic became Bilic's sixth signing of the summer following the arrivals
of Grady Diangana, Matheus Pereira, Cedric Kipre, David Button and Callum
Robinson.
"I know that he's a very positive guy," Bilic said of Ivanovic. "He's going
to first of all bring quality to us - he's a top defender.
"Secondly, which is also very important for us, especially for a team who
has to find ourselves at this level, is his experience both on and off the
pitch."
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