Controversial Chelsea sale accelerates after ‘positive talks’ with bidders convinced they’ve ‘done everything possible’

Chelsea believe they are closing in on the sale of Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid after the most recent round of talks left the midfielder on the verge of a decision, but one of the club’s former defenders has become the latest critic to question the logic behind offloading him.

After entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, Gallagher has been put in the shop window by Chelsea, despite his importance to the team last season (when he sometimes wore the captain’s armband).

Gallagher and Chelsea have not been able to agree terms on a new contract, so the Blues have been negotiating his exit so they can record some pure profit for their academy product now rather than lose him for nothing next year.

Atletico Madrid have overtaken Tottenham in the race for the England international and are now on the verge of finding out if they will be signing him.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea and Atleti held ‘positive talks’ about Gallagher on Saturday, centred around a €40m (£34m) deal.

While they are still waiting for Gallagher to approve of the move, Romano said ‘all parties [are] confident’ of the deal crossing the line.

And reports in the Spanish press on Sunday morning are affirming that Atleti believe they have ‘done everything possible’ to take Gallagher to the Estadio Metropolitano.

In fact, Atleti are said to have reached a total agreement with Chelsea and are now anticipating Gallagher’s own response, which – as TEAMtalk has been reporting – they are increasingly confident will be positive.

Ex-Chelsea captain questions Gallagher decision

If Gallagher does leave Chelsea, there will be reverberations around west London regarding the decision. Given the mixed success rate of their heavy spending in recent years – and the consequences of it leaving behind players like Gallagher – this is a transaction that could be counter-intuitive from a squad-building perspective.

And according to ex-Chelsea captain Gary Cahill, Gallagher epitomises how Enzo Maresca’s side should play.

“I can’t speak on behalf of the club but I can have my own opinion,” Cahill said. “From the outside looking in, I would love him to stay.

“Since he broke into this Chelsea team, we’ve seen the managers playing him, giving him the responsibility of having the armband, clearly seeing day in, day out what he brings. That’s why they’re playing him and that’s why they’re giving him such a big role, a responsible role, at that age.

“So I think he epitomises a lot of the kind of the way he sets the tempo, the way he presses, his attitude. Everything that I’ve heard and know about him, I really like. Aside from that, he’s a top player. So in my opinion, I’ve got a lot of time for him.”

But Gallagher might not have much time left at Chelsea at all, as his departure after 95 appearances and 10 goals for the club – all over the past two seasons – edges closer.

New head coach Maresca recently said: “The only thing I can say is that he was in contact with the club to find a solution. I don’t think it’s something new.

“In football, every summer, different clubs have some problems with some players, and then at the end, they find a solution and everyone is happy. Hopefully the same can happen in this situation.”

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