Atletico Madrid appear to be in the market for a new midfielder, and one of their top targets is Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher. The 24-year-old is also attracting interest from Premier League clubs, although Los Colchoneros are determined to win the battle for his signature.
According to Diario AS, Atleti have been in talks with Chelsea in regards to Gallagher, and they recently submitted an informal opening offer worth €20m. However, that was turned down by the West London side.
🚨 JUST IN – Pending Confirmation: Diego Simeone is Conor Gallagher’s main supporter at Atlético Madrid. He wants him.
Atleti have made an informal approach to Chelsea for just over €20m, but the English club rejected it. The clubs will talk again after the Euro.@edu17burgos pic.twitter.com/txGMKdul5Z
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) June 19, 2024
Gallagher is extremely well-liked by Diego Simeone and the rest of Atleti’s sporting department. The initial refusal is unlikely to dampen their efforts to sign him, although talks are likely to be on hold under after the conclusion of Euro 2024, where Gallagher is currently with England. In the meantime, deals could be worked on for other targets, including Mats Wieffer and Matt O’Riley.
Signing Gallagher would be a surprise move for Atletico Madrid, although he has been regularly linked in recent months. It’s clear that a defensive midfielder is more of a priority, and the Englishman is certainly not that – he’s seen as more of a box-to-box player.
