Chelsea has agreed to a transfer offer from Atlético Madrid for Conor Gallagher. The English midfielder is in the last year of his contract, and the club is eager to sell him now rather than risk losing him for free next summer.
The offer from Atlético is reportedly valued at up to €40m (£33.7m), falling short of the £50m Chelsea initially sought at the beginning of the summer. However, any proceeds from Gallagher are considered pure profit, as he is a product of the club’s academy, which is crucial in the context of financial viability and sustainability regulations.
Gallagher has shown he is open to remaining at his childhood club if the transfer terms do not align with his expectations. He must now make a choice about moving to Atlético, who will compete in the Champions League for a 12th consecutive season under Diego Simeone. He has turned down Chelsea’s new contract offer.
The midfielder, who has also piqued the interest of Tottenham and Aston Villa this summer, started 37 Premier League matches for Chelsea last season, missing only one due to suspension. He captained the team in most of those games.
Arsenal has put forward a €30m bid for Mikel Merino, which is likely to be accepted by Real Sociedad. Arsenal is attempting to fend off Barcelona’s interest in the Spain international, who was part of the squad that triumphed in Euro 2024, featuring in every game but starting only the final group match against Albania.
Mikel Arteta aims to recruit the 28-year-old, whose experience differentiates him from many of the club’s recent outfield signings, as his third significant acquisition of the summer following Riccardo Calafiori and goalkeeper David Raya. Merino has prior Premier League experience from his time at Newcastle during the 2017-18 season.
