Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing a significant transfer coup, with midfielder Conor Gallagher set to sign a five-and-a-half-year contract after undergoing a medical in England. The 25-year-old is poised to make the switch from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £34.7 million.
Midfield Crisis Spurs Urgent Action
The North London club moved decisively to secure Gallagher's signature, beating Aston Villa to the punch. Villa had proposed a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but Spurs acted swiftly with a permanent offer. This urgency stems from a severe shortage of options in the centre of the park.
Rodrigo Bentancur is set to miss most of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in last week's 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth. His absence, coupled with injuries to Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski, has left manager Thomas Frank desperately short-handed.
Medical Completed as Deal Nears Finish Line
Gallagher flew to England to complete his medical examinations, with all parties keen to finalise the agreement before Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey round of 16 tie against Deportivo La Coruña on Tuesday night. Personal terms are the last detail to be formally agreed upon.
Initially, Tottenham explored a straight loan deal for the English midfielder, but were informed by the Spanish club that such an arrangement was not an option. The impending fixture congestion for Spurs—with midweek games in three of the next four weeks—made bolstering the squad a pressing priority.
Gallagher's Journey from Chelsea to Spurs
Gallagher only joined Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in August 2024 in a £34m move from Chelsea, where he had been since the age of eight. His first season in the Spanish capital was considered a success, but this campaign he has found himself used more frequently as a substitute.
His arrival at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium comes at a critical time. The team returns to action on Saturday with a Premier League clash against West Ham United, before travelling to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday. Manager Thomas Frank has indicated the club should know within three to four weeks when long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski might return from a knee injury suffered in April.
