Tottenham Hotspur have dramatically stepped in to hijack Conor Gallagher’s move, beating Aston Villa in a fast-moving transfer twist involving Atlético Madrid.
Softfootball had earlier reported that Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid were close to completing a deal for the former Chelsea midfielder on a loan with an option to buy, but Spurs’ late intervention completely changed the landscape.
According to Fabrizio Romano via his official X handle, Spurs acted decisively after Atlético had already accepted Villa’s proposal. Romano reported:
BREAKING: Tottenham are hijacking Conor Gallagher deal following verbal club to club agreement with Villa. Atlético accepted Villa loan plus option to buy clause proposal today… and now Spurs match and improve their bid, as @David_Ornstein reports. #THFC confident.
The situation escalated quickly, with Romano further confirming via his X handle. that the player himself had made his choice clear. He posted:
Conor Gallagher to Tottenham, here we go! The player has just informed Atléti about his decision to join #THFC. Spurs set to pay €40m fee, permanent deal to beat Villa. Aston Villa agreed deal with Atlético today but leave race as player didn’t give final green light.
As a result, Aston Villa have now exited the race, despite having agreed terms with Atlético Madrid earlier in the day. The move collapsed after Gallagher declined to give his final approval, paving the way for Tottenham to swoop in with a superior offer.
Tottenham’s urgency was driven by necessity, with the club moving swiftly in the market following Rodrigo Bentancur’s injury, which is set to rule the Uruguayan midfielder out for at least three months. Gallagher is now seen as a key reinforcement to bolster Thomas Frank’s midfield options during a crucial phase of the season.
With a €40 million permanent deal agreed and the player’s decision made, Tottenham look set to secure Gallagher’s signature in what has become one of the most decisive transfer hijacks of the window.
