Conor Gallagher is poised to complete a major switch to Tottenham Hotspur, with the midfielder scheduled to fly to England for a medical today. Spurs have agreed a fee of £34.7 million with Atletico Madrid for the player's signature.
Deal Details and Personal Terms
The North London club have moved decisively to secure the 28-year-old's services, seeing off competition from Aston Villa. While the transfer fee is settled, the final formality of agreeing personal terms with Gallagher's camp is still pending. The player's representatives are reportedly eager to finalise the deal before Atletico's Copa del Rey last-16 tie against Deportivo La Coruna on Tuesday evening.
Tottenham's initial enquiry about a straightforward loan deal was rebuffed by the Spanish club, who insisted on a permanent sale. This approach ultimately proved more attractive than Aston Villa's proposal, which was structured as a loan with an obligation to buy.
Addressing a Midfield Emergency
The urgent move into the transfer market has been triggered by a severe injury crisis within Tottenham's midfield ranks. The situation worsened significantly last week when Rodrigo Bentancur sustained a hamstring injury during the 3-2 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth. The Uruguayan is expected to miss most of the remaining season.
His absence compounds existing problems. Lucas Bergvall is also currently sidelined, with no clear timeframe for his return. Long-term absentees include James Maddison, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season, and Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out with a knee injury since April. Manager Thomas Frank indicated last week that the club should have a clearer picture of Kulusevski's return in three to four weeks.
Fixture Congestion Spurs Action
Tottenham's need for immediate reinforcement is amplified by a congested fixture list. The team faces a demanding schedule where they will play midweek matches in three of the next four weeks, on top of their regular weekend Premier League commitments.
Their campaign resumes with a London derby against West Ham United this Saturday, followed by a crucial Champions League trip to face Borussia Dortmund the following Tuesday. The acquisition of Gallagher is viewed as a critical step to bolster the squad's depth and quality during this intense period.
