Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing a significant transfer coup, with midfielder Conor Gallagher set to join the club from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £34.7 million.
Medical and Contract Details Finalised
The 25-year-old England international flew to England to undergo his medical examination today, paving the way for the move to be finalised. Gallagher is poised to sign a long-term contract with Spurs, committing his future to the North London club for five and a half years.
Personal terms are yet to be formally agreed, but this is not expected to be a stumbling block. Tottenham moved decisively to secure the signature of the midfielder, beating off competition from Aston Villa, who had proposed a loan deal with an obligation to buy.
Spurs' Midfield Crisis Forces January Move
The urgent push to sign Gallagher stems from a severe injury crisis in Tottenham's midfield. The club's need for reinforcements became critical last week when Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury in the 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.
That injury is expected to rule the 28-year-old Uruguayan out for the majority of the remainder of the season. His absence leaves manager Thomas Frank with severely depleted options in the centre of the park.
The injury list is extensive:
- Lucas Bergvall is also sidelined with no clear return date.
- James Maddison has been out since pre-season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
- Dejan Kulusevski remains a long-term absentee with a knee injury suffered in April, with his return still three to four weeks away according to Frank.
This situation compelled the club to enter the transfer market. Tottenham initially enquired about a straight loan deal for Gallagher but were informed by Atletico that such an arrangement was not possible.
Gallagher's Journey from Chelsea to Spurs
Conor Gallagher only moved to the Spanish capital in August 2024, leaving Chelsea in a £34 million transfer after being at the club since the age of eight. His first season under Diego Simeone was considered a success, but this campaign he has found himself used more frequently as a substitute.
His representatives were keen to finalise the agreement before Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey last-16 tie away to Deportivo La Coruña on Tuesday night.
The signing comes at a crucial time for Tottenham's fixture schedule. The team faces midweek matches in three of the next four weeks, on top of their regular weekend Premier League commitments. They return to action on Saturday against West Ham United before travelling to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Thomas Frank has now secured a key midfield target to help navigate this packed period and an injury list that has tested the squad's depth to its limits.
