One of the weirdest transfer sagas in recent memory is finally coming to a conclusion. Chelsea and Atletico Madrid and now finalizing two deals with each other, although both are understood to be entirely separate from one another. Conor Gallagher, having already completed his medical, and agreed personal terms is headed to the Spanish capital.
He now FINALLY completes his £34 million move. Here is a link to more on all the buildup to this one.
Joao Felix is now going the other way. According to ESPN, the Portugese winger “has agreed a six-year contract with the option of a further 12 months to rejoin the club.”
It’s not finalized yet, but it’s getting there now. We covered all of this, in much more detail, just a few hours ago.
Felix, 24, scored four goals in his 20 appearances while he was on loan at Chelsea, during the back half of the 2022-23 season.
He is now set to become Chelsea’s 11th summer signing, adding another player to an already bloated squad. The Felix acquisition, or basically re-acquisition, would most likely force Raheem Sterling out the exit door. Honestly, it sounds like Sterling has one foot out already.
For the third transfer window in a row, Chelsea FC look likely to top all spenders.
Congrats to Joao Felix and Conor Gallagher, on finally getting your deals over the line.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.