Atletico Madrid Seeks to Block Gallagher Transfer for Guerra

Valencia’s sporting director, Miguel Angel Corona, has revealed that Atletico Madrid attempted to cancel Conor Gallagher’s transfer from Chelsea to facilitate the signing of Javi Guerra. Reports indicated that Atletico was in advanced negotiations with Chelsea regarding Gallagher, while simultaneously pursuing Guerra. However, the deal for Guerra ultimately fell through, with sources from Valencia, Atletico, and Guerra confirming the collapse of the transfer. Corona expressed frustration, stating that Valencia was not informed about the connection between the two transfers. He noted that Atletico had previously acknowledged the complexity of executing both deals simultaneously. According to Corona, discussions between Valencia and Atletico’s leadership took place over several days, but the linking of the two transfers was not disclosed until late in the process. On Wednesday, Valencia learned from Atletico that they were attempting to withdraw from the Gallagher deal, which directly impacted their negotiations for Guerra. This revelation came as a surprise to both Valencia and Guerra, who had been actively engaged in discussions without any indication of the linked operations. Chelsea, meanwhile, was unaware of Atletico's attempts to cancel Gallagher's transfer. As Gallagher nears a departure from Chelsea, the club has rejected multiple contract offers, aiming to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer. The 24-year-old midfielder had a standout season, contributing significantly with seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances.