In this summer transfer window, former Chelsea captain, Conor Gallagher, left the Blues and joined La Liga giants, Atletico Madrid, on a permanent deal. After all these days since the transfer went through, Gallagher has finally spoken out about his departure from Chelsea.
There were rumors that the English midfielder didn’t suit Maresca’s possession-based football, but all these rumors were absolutely fake. Fans were thinking that the “beef” between Maresca and Gallagher was the main reason for his exit.
The 24 year-old midfielder has cleared all these misconceptions. From his statement, it is clear that Gallagher had no issue with the manager, but he had some other reasons to leave Chelsea.
Why did Chelsea sell Gallagher?
In a recent interview, Gallagher said that he was more than capable of playing in Enzo Maresca’s possession-based system. So, there was absolutely no doubt about his compatibility with the new manager.
The only thing that forced Gallagher to leave Chelsea was the contract situation. The owners and sporting directors failed to assure him a long-term future at the club. On the other hand, they were signing new players on long-term contracts, which is quite unusual in modern-day football.
According to Metro, the 24 year-old midfielder was unhappy about this fact. So, in search of more gametime and an assured future, he joined Atletico Madrid.
After securing the move, Gallagher said that he always dreamt about playing for Chelsea football club. Having achieved that dream, he is happy about it. In the end, Gallagher added that whatever happened, was a good decision for everyone.
Gallagher’s Atletico Transfer Saga
When this contract dilemma was going on behind-the-scenes, Atletico Madrid showed expressed their interest in Gallagher. After hearing this news, the 24 year-old midfielder became intrigued. Soon, he made up his mind and decided to join the La Liga giants.
Diego Simeone also wanted the Englishman because of his work rate and playing style, which perfectly aligns with Simeone’s philosophy.
Several Premier League clubs were also ready to sign him from Chelsea. Multiple sources were claiming that Tottenham Hotspurs are going to sign Gallagher, but the London-based club was not ready to match Chelsea’s valuation on the player. On the other hand, Newcastle United also participated in the race to sign Gallagher from Chelsea. However, none of them were successful.
Chelsea’s stance on the Gallagher dilemma
At first, the deal almost collapsed between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, as the Blues were unable to sign Samu Omorodion from Simeone’s side. Omorodion was a part of this exchange deal. It caused Gallagher to return to London and train with the Chelsea reserve team. After a few days, Chelsea were able to finalize the deal with Atletico.
Chelsea’s academy has produced some of the best talents in world football, which includes Jamal Musiala, Recce James, Declan Rice, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Marc Guehi, Jeremy Boga, and many more. Conor Gallagher is one of them.
All of these players were nurtured at the heart of Cobham, but only few of them got to play for the first team. Other players were sold to different clubs. Gradually, they became stars of modern football. Many believe that Chelsea have made a massive mistake by selling these young prodigies.
Last season, Gallagher played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s turbulent season. During the absence of Recce James, he led the team as the captain. Mauricio Pochettino played him in each and every match. On top of that, fans loved him for his work rate and sheer determination. He embodied the true meaning of ‘Chelsea Football Club’.
Rather than spending big on new midfielders, Chelsea could have given a chance to Gallagher. He was a complete box-to-box midfielder, with the soul and character that the Chelsea fans absolutely loved.
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