Conor Gallagher insists he does not hold a grudge against Chelsea over the manner of his exit from the club this summer.
Gallagher, a boyhood Chelsea fan who progressed through the club’s academy to the first team and was a key player last season under Mauricio Pochettino, joined Atletico Madrid last month in a deal worth €42million (£35.8m, $54.7m).
It was a messy end to his time at Chelsea, with Gallagher turning down three offers of a two-year contract extension, with a club option to add a further year.
Chelsea ultimately decided to sell the England midfielder rather than risk losing him on a free transfer, and he has subsequently helped Atletico win their first two games of the La Liga season.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have added to their options by signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester, Joao Felix from Atletico and Pedro Neto from Wolves.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of England’s Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, Gallagher, 24, refused to criticise his old club’s handling of his departure but insisted he could have played a part for them under new manager Enzo Maresca, despite suggestions there were concerns he was too limited technically to fit into the Italian’s system.
“I think last season I had a good season with Chelsea and you could see (that) by Pochettino playing me every game and showing his trust in me,” Gallagher said.
“Chelsea make their own decisions and they’ve brought in some top players on long contracts. That wasn’t the situation with me but, in the end, what happened is good for everyone, so everyone is happy.
“Honestly, with Chelsea I have only got good things to say. I leave Chelsea with really special memories. The dream came true. So, I am very lucky.”
(Top photo: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
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