Chelsea star Conor Gallagher urged to join Atletico Madrid by England star: Reports
According to a report by AS, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has been encouraged to join Atletico Madrid by his England teammate Kieran Trippier. The midfielder has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, as the Blues look to balance their books.
Gallagher came through the west London club's youth ranks and made 95 appearances for their senior squad, bagging 10 goals and providing 10 assists. 50 of those appearances came last season, with the Cobham graduate bagging seven goals and nine assists in that campaign.
Trippier spent time in Spain with Atletico Madrid, helping them to the La Liga title in 2021. The former Tottenham Hotspur defender made 86 appearances and provided 11 assists in his two-and-a-half-year stay in Madrid.
Conor Gallagher has one year left on his deal with Chelsea and now has his destiny in his hands. He can either remain with his boyhood club, Chelsea, leave for free next summer, or push for a move this window.
Conor Gallagher's journey with Chelsea
Conor Gallagher has been a Chelsea player since 2008. He has worked his way up the ranks of the club's academy and is one of their Cobham training ground's most recent success stories.
The 24-year-old midfielder debuted as a senior player in 2019 and was loaned to Charlton Athletic where he appeared 26 times and scored six goals. He was then loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace where he played 30 and 34 games, respectively. He was named Crystal Palace's player of the year for the 2021-22 season.
Gallagher captained his boyhood club for the first time in a 2–1 EFL Cup victory over Wimbledon in August 2023. He has regularly captained the Blues in the absence of full-time captain Reece James and vice-captain Ben Chilwell due to their recurring injuries.
The midfielder has also featured regularly for the England national team at all levels. He was part of the English side that finished the recently concluded Euro 2024 as runner-ups.
With his contract set to expire next season, the Stamford Bridge-based club might have to decide quickly on his future in the coming weeks.