Chelsea ACCEPT Atletico Madrid bid for Conor Gallagher after England star rejected lucrative contract offer

CHELSEA have accepted a bid from Atletico Madrid for Conor Gallagher.

Gallagher, 24, has just one year remaining on his current deal with his future in West London in doubt.

He turned down TWO offers of a new contract this summer.

The latest was a three-year deal – two years plus the option of a third – that would have put him in line with Chelsea’s top-earning midfielders.

But now the Blues are waiting for Gallagher to make a decision on his future with Atletico ready to pay around £34million for his signature.

The England international’s time with Chelsea has been uncertain for some time.

Tottenham and West Ham were among those previously linked while Aston Villa made attempts to sign him earlier this summer.

Villa are believed to have had a bid accepted by Chelsea earlier in the window but Gallagher decided against the move.

Unai Emery has since signed Amadou Onana from Everton for £50m.

Selling boyhood Blue Gallagher would help Chelsea balance their books and free up space in midfield.

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New boss Enzo Maresca brought Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with him from Leicester for £28m.

And Romeo Lavia is set to return to a midfield that already boasts club-record signings Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo.

Gallagher – who would have the option to leave for free next summer – has not yet linked up with his Chelsea team-mates for pre-season.

He has been granted extra time off following England’s Euro 2024 final loss to Spain in July.

Gallagher came through the Blues youth system and made his first-team debut in 2019.

He’s since made 95 appearances – with ten goals – after becoming a regular under Mauricio Pochettino last season.

Gallagher even captained the side at times in 2023-24.