Conor Gallagher has completed his move from Chelsea to Atlético Madrid for a fee believed to be in the region of £34m, the two clubs have announced.
The 24-year-old midfielder has signed a five-year contract with Atlético, bringing to an end what had become something of a summer saga after the deal initially stalled, forcing Gallagher, who had been at Chelsea since the age of six, to train with the club’s under-21 squad.
“Atlético Madrid and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Conor Gallagher, who has signed for the club until 2029,” read an Atlético statement. Chelsea followed that up with a social media video looking back at Gallagher’s time at the club, alongside a message that read: “Conor Gallagher has completed a permanent transfer to Atlético Madrid. We wish Conor the very best as he begins a new chapter in his career.”
Conor Gallagher has completed a permanent transfer to Atletico Madrid. We wish Conor the very best as he begins a new chapter in his career. 💙
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 21, 2024
Gallagher made 95 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 10 goals. The England international also captained the side on numerous occasions last season. His departure should mean that João Félix is able to complete his permanent move from Atlético to Chelsea. The Portugal forward will return to Stamford Bridge after spending six months there on loan in 2023.
Someone else departing Chelsea is England Under-21 defender Bashir Humphreys, who has joined Burnley on a season-long loan deal. The 21-year-old, who can play at both centre-back and left-back, made his Chelsea first-team debut in an FA Cup tie against Manchester City last January.
“Burnley is a club with huge ambitions, the owners know what they are doing, and they really want to push the club on as much as possible,” Humphreys said in a statement posted on Burnley’s official website. “It makes so much sense for the next step in my career. I had really good conversations with him [manager Scott Parker] and that is always pivotal when it comes to transfers.
“It was completely perfect, everything he was saying to me. He knew about my game; he wants to work with me and help me improve. That is all you want to hear as a player.”