Conor Gallagher may be poised for a headline-grabbing return to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly in pole position to secure his services this month.
The industrious midfielder, now 25, rose through the ranks at Chelsea before making a high-profile switch to Atletico Madrid in 2024 for a fee of approximately £34 million. However, despite recording 75 appearances for the Spanish giants, the 22-cap England international has found himself edged out of Diego Simeone’s first-team plans this season.
Gallagher is rumoured to be eyeing a Premier League homecoming in a persistent bid to boost his chances of staking a claim in the England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup. Manchester United, potentially seeking a replacement for Kobbie Mainoo amidst his potential loan move to Napoli, and Tottenham Hotspur are frontrunners in the chase, according to Fraser Fletcher of TEAMtalk. This is despite interest from Newcastle United, Everton, and West Ham United.
The situation is further complicated by a reported £26 million valuation and significant wage demands, with Gallagher earning up to £200,000-a-week. Atletico Madrid are open to letting him depart under favourable terms but would rather a permanent deal be struck. Yet, a loan move, possibly with an option to buy, appears more feasible given the right financial conditions.
A source close to the situation indicated that the player’s salary is a sticking point: “Atletico acknowledge they can’t give Conor the football he wants and deserves. That is the key issue, and they know he is too good to sit on the bench and they don’t want to wreck his chances of going to the World Cup.”
As negotiations continue to unfold, Gallagher’s next move hinges largely on whether Atletico are willing to subsidise his substantial salary, a decisive factor in this transfer saga.