Conor Gallagher joins Atletico Madrid on a five-year deal

La Liga signed Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of midfielder Conor Gallagher from Chelsea in a deal worth £33m. Last week, he was forced to spend five days in a Madrid hotel after his anticipated move stalled due to the collapse of Chelsea’s talks to sign Atletico striker Samu Omorodion.

However, the two clubs found a way to move discussions forward, and Gallagher has signed a five-year deal with the Spanish club. Gallagher moved to Chelsea at the tender age of six but managed to move through the ranks to make a senior team debut and make 90 appearances for the Blues, scoring 10 goals.

Despite the disappointment of fans seeing the club sell a player who had spent a long the club, the midfielder appreciated the fans expressing that it is an honour to have played for Chelsea.

“To everyone at Chelsea, thank you for making my dreams come true. It’s been an absolute honor every time I put on the shirt, and it was a dream come true to captain the team on many occasions. I loved every moment. These memories will last forever. I appreciate all the love and support from the fans.” Gallagher posted on social media.

Gallagher’s time at Chelsea was littered with loan spells, having moved around to Charlton, Swansea, West Brom, and Crystal Palace before his big break into the Chelsea first team in the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, he has 18 caps for England after making his debut in 2021, attending the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 as part of the Three Lions squad. 

Meanwhile, Gallagher isn’t the only move between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea as the Blues signed Joao Felix for £45m. The Portuguese forward was at Stamford Bridge in 2023 on a loan stint. 

The number of players at Chelsea continues to rise despite coach Enzo Maresca insisting he will work with only around 22 to 23 players at the club, a decision that has forced out a couple of players including Raheem Sterling.