Chelsea and England midfielder Conor Gallagher has completed his transfer to Spanish side Atletico Madrid, as confirmed by the Premier League club on Wednesday. This move could pave the way for Atletico forward Joao Felix to return to Stamford Bridge, with reports suggesting that Chelsea has agreed on a £40 million ($51 million) fee for the 24-year-old.
Felix previously had a disappointing six-month loan spell at Chelsea during the second half of the 2022-23 season, scoring just four goals in 20 appearances.
Gallagher’s transfer to Atletico Madrid came after an earlier deal fell through when Chelsea couldn’t reach an agreement for Madrid striker Samu Omorodion. Atletico needed to offload Omorodion or another player to finance Gallagher’s £33 million move. The midfielder had been training separately since returning to Chelsea last week, following his trip to Spain for the proposed transfer.
Last season, Gallagher made 50 appearances for Chelsea and often captained the team in Reece James’ absence. The 24-year-old, who won the 2019 Europa League with Chelsea, leaves the club after 95 appearances and 10 goals.
