Atlético de Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher has spoken to Diario AS about his future at the club — and the Englishman has made it clear that he only sees himself in red and white.
“I’m very happy here,” Gallagher said. “My objective is to win titles with Atleti and I want to have a more important place in the team. I’m going to work as hard as I can to play more minutes and offer more to the team.”
Gallagher’s interview with Picu Díaz is the latest indication that — despite his bumpy second season
in the Spanish capital — he does not intend to leave the club when the winter transfer window opens on Jan. 2. Gallagher has a €9 million per year salary, one of the highest at the club, and he has only been able to crack Diego Simeone’s starting lineup twice in LaLiga so far, with a further two starts coming in the UEFA Champions League.
Across 558 minutes played in those two competitions, Gallagher has scored two goals: the opener in a 1-1 draw at Mallorca, and Atlético’s second goal in this month’s 3-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise. Gallagher was a second-half substitute in both games.
“I don’t think anyone is satisfied if they don’t play as much as they would like to,” Gallagher said. “But I’ll keep working very hard so that every time I get the chance, I can help the team, and hopefully more starting opportunities will come my way.”
Gallagher did acknowledge that his primary competition for minutes this season is the “incredible” Pablo Barrios, who has made three appearances for Spain in this calendar year and appears likely to take part in his first FIFA World Cup next summer. Gallagher though has made only one appearance for England over the past year, and he faces an uphill battle to convince Thomas Tuchel to take him to the United States in June.
Combined with Gallagher’s long-term contract to 2029, this national team absence has led to rumors that new sporting director Mateu Alemany is planning to send the 25-year-old back to the Premier League, where his 2023/24 breakout season at Chelsea convinced Atlético to sign him in a €42 million transfer that saw João Félix head the other way.
“I’ve spoken to Thomas Tuchel, and he’s told me what he needs from me and what I have to do to get back into the team. And it seems that, right now, it’s very difficult for me to get to that point,” Gallagher explained. “But, as I said before, I’ll keep giving my all to get more playing time and, hopefully, get back into the national team.”
Fortunately for Gallagher, he could be in line to start when Atlético visit Getafe on Sunday in the first game after the international break. Simeone likes to use these post-FIFA break games as opportunities for players who stayed behind in Madrid — where Gallagher says he is totally adapted to the Spanish lifestyle.
“I’m very settled in now,” Gallagher told AS. “My girlfriend and I love living here. It’s an incredible city and we’re very happy.”
