Atletico chiefs hope improved £34m bid will secure Gallagher

ATLETICO MADRID are increasingly confident that they can strike a deal with Chelsea for England midfielder Conor Gallagher.

The Blues are in new talks with the Spanish side, who now look ready to offer a fee in the region of £34million. Atletico chiefs hope that will be enough to convince Chelsea, who had been looking for a higher fee earlier this summer, to sell Gallagher (right).

Chelsea had rejected Atletico’s first set of proposals at the start of the transfer window, but now they have returned with improved offers.

Gallagher has entered the final year of his contract, and the Blues remain open to selling the England star. The Chelsea academy product has been keen to stay at his home club, but is thought to be considering his options carefully.

Atletico may have some work to do to convince the 24-year-old to leave west London, but sit in pole position for any transfer.

Tottenham have tracked Gallagher for months, but have not progressed their interest. Gallagher is on holiday after his Euro 2024 exploits, so has not joined Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the US. Chelsea are continuing to overhaul their playing resources under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and have also spent the summer modifying the senior squad for new head coach Enzo Maresca. Gallagher was a regular starter last term under Maurico Pochettino, frequently captaining the Blues in the absence of injured club skipper Reece James. Chelsea have invested heavily in midfield — Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia — and that has left them open to selling Gallagher. Chelsea completed the £20.7m signing of goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal yesterday, with the 22-year-old jumping into an immediate training session with the Blues in Atlanta.

Jorgensen completed his medical in the US, and is now a full part of the club’s pre-season tour. Jorgensen has signed a longterm contract and will compete straight away for the starting goalkeeper’s shirt. Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic battled it out for the No1 spot last term, while Chelsea are looking to sell Kepa Arrizabalaga.