Gallagher’s Atleti days are numbered.
It is increasingly possible that Thursday’s Supercopa de España semifinal against Real Madrid served as Conor Gallagher’s final game for Atlético de Madrid.
Gallagher reportedly is closing in on a return to England, where he would play for Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side. Matteo Moretto is among those reporting that Villa have taken the lead for Gallagher and are deep in negotiations with Atlético over a loan move to the end of the season — which will include a conditional obligation to buy.
Moretto cautions though that other Premier League clubs are thinking about lodging offers of their own “in the coming hours.” Marca’s David Medina has reported Monday that Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United also want Gallagher, who has scored three goals and provided one assist in 27 appearances this season.
Atlético have been open to letting Gallagher leave this month as he has failed to carve out a starting role since his arrival from Chelsea in the João Félix swap deal last summer. To hasten an end to Gallagher’s Atleti tenure, the club reportedly has knocked down his price to around €30 million. It is thought that the Englishman, though happy in Madrid, would look favorably on a departure as he tries to force his way back into the national team plans before the FIFA World Cup.
Surprise Premier League title contenders Aston Villa have been on the hunt for reinforcements this month, and they seem to have landed on Gallagher as their preferred option. While his €9 million salary can be onerous for a Spanish team, Villa can easily pay it — and his arrival would have the additional benefit of aiding their “homegrown” quota, the rule by which eight players out of a 25-player squad must be trained in England. Villa sit third in the Premier League, level on points with Manchester City; both teams trail Arsenal by six points.
I had selling Gallagher (or loaning him out with the goal of selling him) marked as one of sporting director Mateu Alemany’s objectives for this month, his first in charge of Atleti’s incoming and outgoing transfers. Even in Atleti’s poorly-constructed midfield, Gallagher has made only nine starts in all competitions; he is a good player, but he’s not the type of player that this team needs. Gallagher is a box-crasher, an attacking midfielder who thrives when he’s able to win the ball high or run into the penalty area. Atleti already have about five of those guys.
Gallagher has been exposed when playing in a double pivot, the role in which the board first envisioned him playing when he arrived two summers ago. He lacks technical skill and the dynamic passing range necessary to help Atleti control games; this was evident once again on Thursday, when Diego Simeone chose Gallagher to step in for the injured Pablo Barrios and swiftly removed him at halftime of the eventual 2-1 loss to Real Madrid.
Gallagher’s departure this month would be best for all parties. The player would get more minutes in his home country, and Atleti might create the margin to sign a replacement who gives the midfield a better balance.
Category: General Sports
