Conor Gallagher has returned to Chelsea as his planned move to Atletico Madrid continues to stall.
Atletico had a bid in the region of €42million (£36m) accepted for the midfielder last month with the England international also agreeing personal terms and undergoing a medical.
Gallagher had remained in Madrid after flying to the Spanish capital last week to complete the move and was pictured on the Civitas Metropolitano pitch.
While a move to Atletico could still go through Gallagher has now returned to the UK at Chelsea’s request with his immediate future no clearer with less than three weeks to go until the transfer window closes.
Chelsea begin their Premier League season against Manchester City on Sunday.
Conor Gallagher visitó el Cívitas @Metropolitano mientras Atlético de Madrid y Chelsea FC ultiman su traspaso. pic.twitter.com/yKDEl9v3LA
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) August 9, 2024
Gallagher won’t return to training immediately and must instead undergo medical testing as all players do upon returns from holiday.
Other players with uncertain futures, such as Romelu Lukaku and Trevoh Chalobah, are currently training away from the first-team squad with Chelsea’s position being they do not want to disrupt preparations for the new season by bloating the group with players who are no longer in their plans.
The club would instead prefer for them to focus on securing moves away.
Gallagher was given extended time off by Chelsea after playing a key role in Gareth Southgate’s England squad at Euro 2024, where he made five appearances in the side’s run to the final.
A corresponding move that would have seen Atletico striker Samu Omorodion move to England collapsed over the weekend after a major problem in finalising the 20-year-old’s contract.
The south west London club have since been offered the possibility of signing Joao Felix, who previously spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Stamford Bridge.
Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez joined the La Liga club in a deal worth up to €95m on Monday.
Having turned down three offers of a two-year contract extension with a club option to extend for a third, which would have put him on similar wages to fellow midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, Chelsea indicated to Gallagher that he would be sold to avoid risking losing the 24-year-old on a free transfer next summer.
Gallagher enjoyed an impressive 2023-24 season, providing seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances in all competitions.
(Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
