Conor Gallagher returns to London amid uncertainty surrounding his transfer to Atletico Madrid.
The 24-year-old England midfielder was seen at Atletico’s Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday and spent five days in Madrid, but his £33m move remains incomplete.
The transfer hit a snag after Chelsea’s £34.5m deal for Spanish striker Samu Omorodion fell through due to issues over personal terms.
Atletico Madrid needs to offload a key player to fund Gallagher’s transfer, especially after securing Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez for £81.5m. Gallagher’s move is still possible but faces the risk of falling through.
An alternative route for Chelsea is acquiring Portuguese forward Joao Felix from Atletico, who is open to rejoining Chelsea after a loan spell in 2023. However, any deal for Felix would need to resolve financial terms first.
Chelsea is keen on finalizing Gallagher’s sale to prevent him from leaving on a free transfer when his contract expires in 11 months. Gallagher, who served as Chelsea’s captain for much of the past season, also made five appearances at Euro 2024.
Atletico had initially posted a photo of Gallagher at their stadium, suggesting that the transfer was imminent.
