Conor Gallagher
Conor Gallagher
Aston Villa have reportedly 'entered the picture' for Atletico Madrid midfielder and Chelsea academy product Conor Gallagher this summer - but Newcastle United are leading the race to bring the England international back to the Premier League from La Liga.
only left England to join Diego Simeone at Atleti last summer as banked a pure profit sale of more than £30m, and he played regularly in all competitions as the club from the Spanish capital finished third in the league.
The 25-year-old made 50 appearances, including nine in the Champions League, and 28 starts, most recently in the Club World Cup which Atleti failed to qualify from the group stages of. Gallagher also featured for England under Lee Carsley last autumn before making a start in the friendly defeat to Senegal under Thomas Tuchel last month.
Gallagher came through the Stamford Bridge academy and had loan spells with Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, and Crystal Palace before breaking into the Blues' first team, but he was permitted the opportunity to try his hand at life on the continent last summer and completed the move to Atleti.
Newcastle, are trying to bring him back to the top flight after a single season away; they're preparing for a campaign back in the Champions League and Eddie Howe has supposedly identified Gallagher as a player he'd like to recruit, to complement his midfield trio of Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.
, though, have 'initiated contact' with Gallagher's representatives. It's not the first time Villa have been linked with Gallagher, who Unai Emery is believed to be a fan of; indeed there was talk last year that the Lions might've brought the midfielder to Villa Park as part of the discussions involving Omari Kellyman and Ian Maatsen.
It's suggested that Atleti would entertain offers in the region of £45m for Gallagher.
What should Villa do in the summer window?
adidas Aston Villa range - how to get yours!
Aston Villa have announced that they are selling a new range of fashion items that fans are going to be clamouring to get hold of ahead of the new season - including a limited edition of the iconic adidas Samba range.
The Villa colours are displayed on the trainers and they also show off the Villa badge.
You can also find an adidas DNA hoody which comes in simple Villa colours and a low key traditional adidas design.
The same design can be found on classic adidas track top on offer, this is the type of track top that fans love to wear -
The DNA range continues with a claret and blue t-shirt - , and on the training pants which can also be matched with any of the items -
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