Aston Villa’s move for Conor Gallagher hijacked by Premier League rival as Atletico Madrid accept bid

Tottenham Hotspur have hijacked Aston Villa’s move for Conor Gallagher, talkSPORT understands.

Atletico Madrid have accepted Spurs’ bid for the midfielder having quoted them an asking price of €40million (£34.6m) asking price by Atletico Madrid.

As revealed exclusively last week by talkSPORT, Villa want to take Gallagher on loan initially with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

However, Spurs’ offer for the former Chelsea star is more appealing to the Spanish club.

The north Londoners have stepped up their interest in Gallagher as midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur set to be out for the next three months with a hamstring injury.

And the 25-year-old has decided to make a move to Spurs instead of Villa due to a guarantee of minutes while Spurs’ location is more advantageous for him.

An agreement of personal terms is not expected to be a problem.

Gallagher is not desperate to leave Spain but feels returning to the Premier League is his best hope of forcing his way into England’s World Cup squad.

Villa opened formal talks to bring former Chelsea star Gallagher back to the Premier League.

It is understood Villa’s proposed offer was a loan deal with an option to buy, although the option would become an obligation should certain criteria be met.

Villans manager Unai Emery has been keen to sign Gallagher since he was at Chelsea.

Managerless Manchester United also showed an interest in Gallagher but are in limbo following the exit of Ruben Amorim.

Gallagher turns 26 next month and has played 51 La Liga games since joining Atleti from Chelsea in the summer of 2024.

The versatile midfielder would be an interesting addition for Villa as they look to secure Champions League football and compete on multiple fronts.

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Despite being thrashed 4-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last month, Villa are still in the title race, trailing the Gunners by six points.

They made the semi-finals of the FA Cup last season only to lose to eventual winners Crystal Palace.

But the FA Cup presents Emery a chance to finally win a trophy at Villa Park, making a good start by beating Spurs to book their place in the fourth round. Villa entertain Newcastle in the next round.

They are also among the favourites to win the Europa League.

Gallagher’s ability to play across the midfield and his top-flight experience stand him in good stead as a strong addition.

During his time in the Premier League, he made 136 appearances for Chelsea, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion.

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He also has 22 caps for England, but after being an important player during Euro 2024, he has seen his minutes drastically reduced.

Since Tuchel’s arrival, the midfielder has only played in the 3-1 defeat to Senegal.

He played 59 minutes of that match but hasn’t been involved since, with Elliot Anderson emerging as huge option in the middle of the park.

Life in Spain is good for Gallagher as he explained to the FA’s website in late 2024.

He said: “It was amazing, a really good experience. It was a really warm welcome, and it made me feel at home straight away. So, it was really nice for me and all the other signings.”

And on working with Diego Simeone, he said: “He wants everyone to work as hard as possible, to prepare for each game and then win.

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“And I think that’s perfect for me, he seems like a really good guy, and of course, he’s an amazing manager.

“He is one of the best managers in the world, I already love how he is, with me and with the team. I’m looking forward to working with him for years to come.”