Chelsea breakthrough! €40m deal to be completed – Fabrizio Romano

Robin Bairner

5 Aug 2024 06:38 BST
3 min read

Fabrizio Romano reports Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is now ready to complete a €40 million transfer to Atletico Madrid, potentially opening up the summer window in new ways for Enzo Maresca’s side.

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The Blues agreed to sell Gallagher to Atleti last week, but there was serious doubt whether the 24-year-old, who has an Estimated Transfer Value of €50.3 million, would agree to the transfer.

The England midfielder had knocked back multiple contract offers from Chelsea

and seemed to have one eye set on free agency next summer.

Current ETV

Conor Gallagher

M, DM (C)

Chelsea

Conor Gallagher

M, DM (C)

Chelsea

ETV Range

€37.7M - €62.8M

Romano reports, however, that Gallagher is poised to sign a five-year deal with Diego Simeone’s side.

“Conor Gallagher has verbally agree terms and said YES to Atletico Madrid,” Romano reports on X.

“Here we go to follow today after formal steps. It’s a five-year deal.”

As Romano notes, the deal that will take Gallagher to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea is the most expensive to be brokered in LaLiga this summer, with the Englishman having a €40m price tag on his head.

Barcelona soon hope to break this with their move for RB Leipzig and Spain star Dani Olmo, yet this is still a statement of intent for Atleti.

© IMAGO - Gallagher did not want to leave Chelsea

Gallagher deal offers Chelsea fresh possibilities

For Chelsea, meanwhile, this could be one of the most important transfers of the summer.

Gallagher is regarded as a ‘pure profit’ player with regards the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), meaning that his entire transfer fee will go towards balancing the Blues’ budget in their accounts next summer.

This offers Chelsea more spending power immediately for this transfer window, opening up the possibility for Maresca’s side to go out and strengthen once more.

The Blues are liable to target a centre-forward, though Victor Osimhen, their dream signing, potentially remains out of reach for now. Nevertheless, with the proceeds from Gallagher’s sale and Romelu Lukaku to throw in as a part-exchange offer, they are getting closer to the Napoli forward.