Aston Villa close in on Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher
What's the story
Premier League club Aston Villa are on the verge of club to club agreement for midfielder Conor Gallagher. As per Fabrizio Romano, negotiations between the two clubs are at final stages. A loan deal with buy option clause to eventually becoming mandatory is likely on the cards. Romano also added that talks will now continue on player side now. Notably, Tottenham Hotspur are still interested in signing the former Chelsea man.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Gallagher has found playing time hard to come by this season. The 25-year-old Englishman has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season. However, he has mostly come on as a substitute. Notably, the player has made 19 league appearances for Atletico this season, but just five of those have been starts. Gallagher is believed to be wanting a move back to the Premier League and is keen to experience Unai Emery's Aston Villa.
Information
Gallagher owns 77 appearances for Atletico
Gallagher joined Atletico in the summer of 2024 and has since then gone on to make 77 appearances, scoring 7 goals and making 9 assists. Last season, he made 50 appearances and scored four goals (A6).
Chelsea
Gallagher spent two seasons as Chelsea first-team player
Gallagher made his first-team debut for the Blues in 2022-23 season. He went on to make 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and making one assist. In the 2023-24 season, the Englishman made 50 appearances under former manager Mauricio Pochettino. He scored seven goals and made his presence felt with nine assists. Overall, he made 95 appearances for the Blues (G10, A10).