When Conor Gallagher will complete Atletico Madrid transfer
- Conor Gallagher still on course to become Atletico Madrid player
- Transfer was in doubt due to collapse of Samu Omorodion deal
- Joao Felix agreement with Chelsea has unlocked things once more
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is still set to complete a £34m transfer to Atletico Madrid, despite the move being delayed by the collapse of the Samu Omorodion deal.
Gallagher was in Madrid earlier this month ready to become an Atletico player. But when late complications emerged in Chelsea's attempt to sign Omorodion in the opposite direction, things were put on hold and the England international was asked to return to London.
Atletico have since spent big on signing Julian Alvarez from Manchester City, but have also now agreed to sell Joao Felix to Chelsea in a permanent transfer that unlocks the Gallagher saga.
Fabrizio Romano writes that the plan now is for Gallagher to head back to Spain once Felix is signed off as a Chelsea player - a medical is taking place on Tuesday. He will then complete the formalities of his own move. But with everything already agreed and a medical also sorted, there is "no issue".
There are ten days of the summer transfer window remaining, so as long as there is no late hitch on the Felix front, Gallagher will be an Atletico player by the end of the month.
He follows in the footsteps of England teammate Kieran Trippier, who spent two and a half years with Atletico prior to joining current club Newcastle United in January 2022. He made 86 appearances across all competitions and bagged himself a La Liga winner's medal in 2021. Trippier has also publicly stated admiration for Diego Simeone as the best manager he has played for.
The move will bring an end to 16 years at Chelsea for Gallagher, first joining the club at the age of eight. His impending sale has brought criticism from fans who view it as a home-grown player being effectively sacrificed to fund the overhaul that is yet to yield positive results in two years. Trevoh Chalobah is also being forced out, while the Blues cashed in on Mason Mount last year.
Other academy graduates like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour have been sold since Todd Boehly's BlueCo took charge in 2022. The sale of such players developed in-house can be registered as pure profit for accounting purposes, which makes it helpful when navigating Premier League Profit & Sustainability Rules.
New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca bizarrely hit out at the regulations designed to stop clubs spending beyond their means when recently discussing the Gallagher sale.
"The clubs are compelled to sell players because of the rules. It's not a Chelsea problem, it is a Premier League problem," he insisted earlier this month.
READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS & GOSSIP FROM AROUND THE WORLD
feed