Conor Gallagher Returns To Chelsea From Atletico Madrid As His Future Remains Uncertain

Conor Gallagher is expected to resume training at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground on Wednesday after returning to London from his trip to Atletico Madrid, where his transfer is currently hanging.

Conor Gallagher, the 24-year-old England international, was recently seen at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium and spent five days in a hotel in Madrid in an attempt to complete his £33 million transfer.

However, the transfer hit a roadblock when Chelsea’s £34.5 million deal to sign Spanish striker Samu Omorodion fell through due to issues with personal terms.

Atletico Madrid now need to make a major sale to fund the transfer of Gallagher following their recent acquisition of Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez for £81.5 million. While Gallagher’s transfer is not yet considered off, it remains under the threat of collapse.

Note that Atletico Madrid had previously shared a photo of Gallagher at their stadium, stating that he was there to “finalize his transfer.”

As it stands, there is a potential alternative for Chelsea to salvage Gallagher’s move by signing Portugal forward Joao Felix from Atletico, but a fee must first be agreed upon.

Felix is prepared to return to Chelsea after a previous six-month loan spell at the club in 2023. However, if a fee cannot be settled for Felix, Gallagher’s transfer will likely fall through.

Chelsea are keen on making the sale to avoid losing Gallagher on a free transfer, especially with just 11 months left on his contract. Gallagher, who captained Chelsea for a large part of the previous season, also made five appearances for England at Euro 2024.