Atletico Madrid Completes Conor Gallagher Signing Despite Transfer Complications

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Atletico Madrid reportedly attempted to halt Conor Gallagher's transfer, according to Valencia's sporting director Miguel Angel Corona. Gallagher is set to leave Chelsea after 16 years in a deal worth £42 million. However, Atletico's pursuit of Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra nearly disrupted Gallagher's move.

A deal between the two La Liga clubs for Guerra was agreed upon but fell through, allowing Gallagher's transfer to proceed. Corona explained that an agreement was reached on Sunday between Valencia's president and Atletico Madrid's major shareholder. On Monday, documentation was developed alongside negotiations with the player.

By Wednesday, delays in Atletico's documents and comments raised questions about the situation. Corona stated, "Why the delay, and the answer was that they were trying to get out of the Chelsea operation and that, if they don’t succeed, they can’t face the Javi Guerra operation."

The news linking the operations surprised both Valencia and Guerra. Corona mentioned that this condition wasn't discussed earlier in their communications. He said, "We were not informed of anything regarding the link between the two and we got out of it to protect ourselves."

Gallagher had rejected three new contract offers from Chelsea. The club decided to sell him this transfer window to avoid losing him on a free transfer. The England international is expected to sign a five-year contract with Atletico Madrid.

Gallagher’s Performance at Chelsea

Last season, Gallagher made 50 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists. He captained Chelsea in European football last year and was arguably their best-performing midfielder.

Gallagher created 53 chances, won 52 tackles, and had a pass accuracy of 91.5%, outperforming teammates Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in these metrics.

Conor Gallagher travelled to Spain last night to complete his move to Atletico Madrid pic.twitter.com/b3hugFNmMR

The complexities surrounding these transfers highlight how interconnected football deals can be. Despite initial setbacks, Gallagher’s move appears set to finalise soon.