Romano drops Chelsea bomb! Transfer of €40m fan favourite 'getting closer'

Tom Weber

Updated: 30 Jul 2024 09:34 BST
3 min read

Chelsea are in now 'direct talks' over the sale of Conor Gallagher, according to Fabrizio Romano.

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The Blues homegrown is coming off a barnstorming personal season that saw him rewarded with a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad. Despite Chelsea mostly underwhelming last term, Gallagher enjoyed a brilliant campaign and was one of the best players at Stamford Bridge.

This, however, has not stopped the Three Lions midfielder from being linked with an exit. Chelsea are in the midst of yet another busy summer and needs funds to balance the books. The phrase 'pure profit' has entered the footballing vernacular in recent months and this is exactly what academy graduate Gallagher would provide.

With just a year left to run on his contract, and with Chelsea thus far having not made any moves towards offering an extension, the Blues are trying to get rid of the fan favourite.

Initially links to Aston Villa came to nothing, while Atletico Madrid lurked in the background, viewing Gallagher as an 'ideal' player for Diego Simeone's system. Now, they have opened formal negotiations to sign their 'dream' target.

Gallagher exit 'getting closer'

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are now in 'direct talks' over Gallagher, with the Blues demanding a package in the region of €35 million to €40m.

Whether Atleti can pay this remains to be seen, but it is thought that the biggest stumbling block for a move could be the price. That said, €40m for Gallagher is actually a bargain in today's market, with the 24-year-old currently boasting an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €50.3m.

The Englishman tops Simeone's midfield shortlist and the Italian transfer expert states that a potential deal is 'getting closer' in what would be something of a shock move.

Read more about: La Liga, Premier League, Atlético, Chelsea, Conor Gallagher