Conor Gallagher in the spotlight: Newcastle gain ground while Tottenham pull away
Conor Gallagher is once again shaking the market table. The English midfielder, who joined Atletico Madrid just a year ago, could be facing another exit. This time, Newcastle United appear as the club best positioned to take him, while Tottenham Hotspur lose weight in the fight. The Premier League always keeps these plot twists in the middle of the summer, and now, with the Magpies preparing for a return to the Champions League, every chip counts. Gallagher knows his role under Simeone is not set in stone. That’s why his future is back in the news in England and Spain.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Tottenham are still one of the clubs tracking Gallagher. Spurs tried to sign him last summer, just before he arrived at the Wanda Metropolitano. Now, the tables have turned. Atletico are listening to offers. They are asking for at least €42 million to let him go. The problem is that the Londoners seem to have run out of steam in the bidding. The priority for Thomas Frank’s team is to reinforce other areas of the field. In addition, Newcastle are making a strong push. The report points out that for Spurs, Gallagher represents more of an opportunity than an immediate priority. For now, it doesn’t look very easy. We had reported Spurs’ interest in the midfielder in our earlier reports as well.
What should Spurs do?
Tottenham face a dilemma. On the one hand, signing the 25-year-old central midfielder would mean adding dynamism, finishing and work rate to the midfield. He is an intense profile, with good reading to press high. However, his tactical fit raises doubts. With Frank’s possible formation, would Gallagher have a place playing as a deep-lying midfielder, and would he not end up on the wing again, as he did against Atlético? For Spurs, spending 42 million on a player who is not a key player seems an unnecessary risk.
Newcastle United are seriously considering a move for Atlético de Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, with Tottenham Hotspur seen as less likely.
The club should focus on shoring up more urgent areas. Perhaps strengthening the defence or finding a natural replacement for Son would be smarter. The other underexplored angle is the Gallagher-Selection factor. The Englishman knows that a year without a starting place would close the door to the World Cup. That could either drive his price down or push him to accept a clearer role in another team. Tottenham should keep an eye on that detail if Newcastle stumble in the negotiations.
Ultimately, Gallagher has the legs and drive, but he is not a natural creator. Newcastle can give him prominent minutes and a proper system. Spurs, today, need to think hard about whether this is the spending they need to make the leap in quality. Meanwhile, we had covered an earlier report stating that an Injury expert endorses Tottenham’s move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher.