Tottenham and West Ham miss out on £33m signing as deal is agreed for midfield star
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is on his way today to have a medical at Atletico Madrid after he gave his yes to the Spanish club overnight. Chelsea had already agreed to a £33 million fee for the midfielder, the BBC has reported, but Gallagher wanted to discuss details before giving his go-ahead.
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Hide AdThe saga will bring an end to one of the long-winding episodes of the summer, which will delight Chelsea, especially as Gallagher had only one year left on his deal and could have walked for free next summer.
Last week, reports also claimed Chelsea had offered a two-year deal with an option for an extra year, but it was deemed unfavourable by Gallagher due to both the length of the contract and the inferior squad role offered.
At Atletico Madrid, it is believed that he has been handed a key role, and the success of Kieran Trippier, who won the Spanish league when he left Tottenham for Madrid, was highlighted when trying to convince Gallagher to see this as a step up.
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Hide AdHe will also get to share the same city with fellow England international Jude Bellingham, who plays for rivals Real Madrid, and the lure of Champions League football and more money with a lengthier contract just meant this was a good offer to take.
Last season, Gallagher rarely missed a game, ending the campaign with 37 appearances in the league as Chelsea finished an impressive sixth, even if they lost out on Europa League due to Manchester United’s surprise FA Cup win.
He was a member of the England team that finished second in the Euros and will be desperate to keep his role in the national team even when he plays abroad. Both Tottenham and West Ham were interested in him but it turns out they’ll both have to look elsewhere to bolster their squad.
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