La Liga giants Atletico Madrid recently presented an informal bid worth €20 million to sign Conor Gallagher, which Chelsea turned down.
According to a report by Spanish outlet AS, Conor Gallagher is the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid. Los Rojiblancos recently made an informal offer worth €24 million to sign the 24-year-old midfielder, a target for Arsenal and Tottenham. However, Chelsea rejected the bid, with the West London club demanding around €50 million to part ways with him in the summer transfer window.
Conor Gallagher and his Chelsea journey
Conor Gallagher has become a mainstay in the middle of the park for Chelsea despite the stiff competition for places at Stamford Bridge. The Englishman had to bide his time before establishing a foothold in the first-team squad at the West London club. However, he has not looked back since returning from a successful loan stint with Crystal Palace.
The 24-year-old amassed over 4,000 minutes of game time across 50 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions in the 2023/24 season, chipping in with seven goals and nine assists. However, Gallagher’s long-term future at Chelsea is uncertain as he will enter the final year of his contract next month. Such a situation has alerted top clubs like Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, and Tottenham.
A man in demand
Very few reports have mentioned Arsenal as a prospective suitor to secure Conor Gallagher’s services in the summer transfer window. However, considering the English international’s versatility, he can be a top-class addition to the first-team squad at the Emirates. Arsenal should also have the funds to cough up Chelsea’s asking price of €50 million.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s interest in Conor Gallagher is understandable. The Colchoneros are keen on bringing the 24-year-old Englishman to La Liga amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Saul Niguez. The Chelsea midfield mainstay can be a like-for-like replacement, although they did not impress the Blues with their informal bid worth €20 million.
As for Tottenham Hotspur, the North London giants have pursued Gallagher for a long time. They also wanted to sign the versatile Chelsea midfielder in the winter transfer window before a move failed to materialise. However, Tottenham’s interest has not waned, with a summer offer likely.
Meanwhile, while Arsenal and Tottenham can theoretically afford to cough up €50 million to sign Gallagher, a deal might not materialise, as the 24-year-old wants to stay at Chelsea beyond the summer transfer window. So, it will be interesting to see where he plies his trade next season.
