Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher after moving ahead of Aston Villa in the race for the England international.
As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, Spurs expect to complete a £35 million deal for the 25-year-old after indicating they are prepared to meet Atletico’s valuation in full.
Villa had been confident of landing Gallagher and were viewed as frontrunners earlier in the window, but their preference for an initial loan deal with an option to buy failed to convince the Spanish club.
Atletico have been open to selling Gallagher outright this summer, and Tottenham’s willingness to proceed with a permanent transfer has put them firmly in pole position. While personal terms have not yet been finalised, discussions are ongoing and are understood to be a formality.
Gallagher is keen for the move to be wrapped up quickly, ideally before Atletico’s Copa del Rey clash with Deportivo on Tuesday night, as he looks to settle his future ahead of the new season.
A return to the Premier League would represent a significant boost for the midfielder, who spent last season in Spain following his departure from Chelsea. Gallagher is hopeful that regular football in England will improve his chances of forcing his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
The midfielder has featured just once under Tuchel so far, playing 59 minutes in England’s 3–1 friendly defeat by Senegal, and is eager to put himself back in contention for a regular international role.
The midfielder has featured just once under Tuchel so far, playing 59 minutes in England’s 3–1 friendly defeat by Senegal, and is eager to put himself back in contention for a regular international role.
Tottenham’s interest has been accelerated by injury concerns in midfield, with Rodrigo Bentancur ruled out for at least three months. Spurs are keen to add depth and energy to the centre of the pitch, and Gallagher’s high-intensity style is seen as a strong fit for Ange Postecoglou’s system.
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