Chelsea have banished Aston Villa target Conor Gallagher to train with the club’s under-21’s as his move to Atletico Madrid appears to have hit a snag.
Unai Emery is a big fan of Conor Gallagher, the England international who captained Chelsea on multiple occasions last season.
Early in the summer Chelsea were looking to offload the 24-year-old in order to ensure compliance with Premier League spending rules; the same rules that saw Aston Villa and Chelsea agree deals that saw Omari Kellyman and Ian Maatsen swap clubs.
The Stamford Bridge club appeared to have performed a U-turn on selling Gallagher but with the midfielder refusing to sign a new contract due to lack of assurances around playing time they are now pushing him out the exit.
That had seen Atletico Madrid swoop with Villa‘s interest having cooled, but that deal now looks under threat.
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Aston Villa target Conor Gallagher left in limbo by Atletico Madrid
Gallagher has spent the past dew days in Madrid, completing his Atletico medical as his £34 million move seemingly drew closer.
However, Atletico are in a position which means they need to sell a player in order to complete the signing of the Chelsea midfielder.
The Spanish club have just spent £82 million to sign Julian Alvarez from Manchester City so need to make sales to balance the books.
One player that could leave is Joao Felix – another Unai Emery target – with Chelsea interested in his signing but keen to keep a deal separate from that of Gallagher.
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With the situation reaching a stalemate, Chelsea have now ordered Gallagher to return to London and report for duty according to Fabrizio Romano, who insists a solution could yet be found.
Romano posted on ‘X’: “”Chelsea request Conor Gallagher return to London on Tuesday, set to book flight.
“Chelsea see all deals as separate, Joao Felix too – offered to Chelsea on Sunday.
“Door remains open for Gallagher to join Atleti after medical done, up to all parties involved.”
Aston Villa will be keeping tabs on Gallagher situation as he trains with Chelsea youth
Whilst Chelsea may be frustrated at the delay to any deal, they are now at risk of being disrespectful to one of their academy products.
That is because Spanish outlet El Chringuito have reported that Gallagher has now been banished to train with the under-21s.
This looks to to be a push form Chelsea in their efforts to accelerate the payer’s departure but, given it is out of Gallagher’s hands, this seems unfair.
With Emery an admirer of the energetic England international, Villa will be invested in Gallagher’s situation and could swoop should Atletico fail to get a deal over the line.
