According to Sky Sports, Atletico Madrid has made their stance clear, pressing the young midfielder to make a decision by the weekend’s end. Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, has conveyed that Gallagher will have a place in the squad next season, although Maresca’s possession-oriented style doesn’t suit the English player. Despite this, Gallagher is still considering staying at Chelsea.
Chelsea initially made an offer four days before Euro 2024, which Gallagher rejected. A second, identical offer was made this week, prior to Chelsea’s agreement with Atletico Madrid, and Gallagher turned that down too. He remains firm on signing a long-term contract with Chelsea, similar to other midfielders, rather than a two-year deal with an option for a third year.
Chelsea plans to meet with him soon to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, Atletico had a previous €30 million (£25.4m/$33m) bid rejected but persist in their efforts, knowing Tottenham Hotspur is also interested. A new €40m (£33.9m/$42m) agreement with Chelsea has been reached, but personal terms with Gallagher are still being negotiated.
Chelsea aims to avoid losing Gallagher for free next summer, similar to what happened with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. They are determined not to let his contract expire and have offered a competitive financial package, matching the salaries of their top midfielders and comparable to other clubs’ offers.
As a potential free agent next summer, Gallagher could attract numerous offers, possibly even in January. He seeks regular playing time, which will be challenging with the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall increasing competition for midfield spots. Chelsea prefers to transfer him to a foreign club rather than a Premier League rival, making Atletico Madrid the leading contender over Tottenham, who are also keeping an eye on the situation.
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