Enzo Maresca provides update on Conor Gallagher's future after Chelsea return
- Gallagher passed medical with Atletico Madrid earlier this month
- Spanish side unable to finalise deal without selling player first
- Blues offered chance to re-sign Joao Felix
By Tom Gott
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed Conor Gallagher is training away from the team after his Atletico Madrid transfer hit a wall.
A £33.7m deal has been agreed between the two sides and Gallagher even passed a medical in Madrid, where he spent close to a week waiting for Atletico to finalise the move.
Atletico, however, need to sell a player before they can secure Gallagher's signature. They had expected to sell striker Samu Omorodion to Chelsea, but the Blues pulled out of a deal late on, and talks over a move for former loanee Joao Felix have yet to progress either.
With Gallagher stuck in limbo, Chelsea ordered the midfielder to return to their Cobham training ground, but he will not train with the senior side until his future is resolved.
"Conor is back. He is training apart," Maresca confirmed. "He is doing some medical tests and some training. He won't be involved in the game [against Manchester City].
"At this moment, he is trying to find a solution with the club."
The Telegraph state Chelsea and Atletico will soon hold a fresh round of talks as they seek to bring this lengthy transfer saga to an end.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone has privately made it clear to Gallagher that he is still desperate to see a deal finalised but the Spanish side are relying on selling a player first. Offers for Samu could still be considered while the La Liga outfit hope to convince Chelsea to re-sign Felix.
Reports elsewhere value Felix at close to €60m (£51.1m) but Chelsea are reluctant to go so high and are believed to be closer to the €40m (£34.1m) mark.
According to Ben Jacobs, Atletico have set a deadline of Wednesday, 21 August to finalise Gallagher's transfer.
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