MADRID – England midfielder Conor Gallagher finally completed his move to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, ending a weeks-long saga that saw issues arise that put his exit from Chelsea in jeopardy.
Chelsea wanted to sell Gallagher, an academy product and vice-captain of the team last season, to help the club meet the Premier League’s financial requirements, which have become more stringent in recent seasons.
Chelsea and Atletico had apparently agreed on a transfer for Atletico, but last week that was in jeopardy, reportedly due to the collapse of a deal that would have seen Atletico striker Samu Omorodion move in the opposite direction.
This meant that Gallagher had to return to Chelsea and train alone, but a solution has now been found: Joao Felix is reportedly close to joining Chelsea on loan from Atletico to facilitate Gallagher’s transfer.
Gallagher is reportedly moving to New York for £36 million ($47 million) and has a five-year contract.
He played for England at the recent European Championships and was one of Chelsea’s best players last season, making 95 appearances for a club he joined as a six-year-old, scoring a total of 10 goals.
This continues a hectic summer of transfer activity for Chelsea, who continue to rebuild their squad under their American owners.
In this transfer window, nine players were signed for more than $200 million. Before that, Chelsea spent $280 million in the summer of 2022, $350 million in January 2023 and more than $400 million in the offseason of the same year.
