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By Barnaby Lane
Posted on 4 September 2025, 17:36
Manchester United tried and failed to sign "priceless" former Chelsea midfielder late in the transfer market - Chelsea
Conor Gallagher. (REUTERS/Susana Vera)
Manchester United’s 2025 summer transfer window has proven difficult to judge.
On one hand, the club secured some exciting attacking reinforcements, with a brand-new front three of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Šeško giving fans hope that last season’s goalscoring woes are finally behind them.
There were positives elsewhere too. United landed Senne Lammens, the highly rated young Belgian goalkeeper expected to eventually succeed after Andre Onana and Altay Bayındır both struggled to convince.
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They also trimmed plenty of dead weight from the squad, moving on high-profile flops like Jadon Sancho, Antony, and Rasmus Højlund.
But glaring weaknesses remain. United failed to properly strengthen in central defence and, more worryingly, in central midfield — an issue that has plagued them for years. And, as it turns out, it wasn’t for lack of trying.
United See Gallagher Offer Rejected
Chelsea's Conor Gallagher is challenged by Bruno Guimaraes
Conor Gallagher in action for Chelsea. (REUTERS)
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United made a late attempt to sign Conor Gallagher in the final days of the transfer window, only to see their efforts knocked back.
Gallagher, who joined Atlético Madrid from Chelsea last summer and was once described as “priceless” by former Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino, had been linked with a loan return to Crystal Palace. But United also stepped into the mix.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained: “In the last 48 hours of the summer transfer window, Manchester United tried to sign Conor Gallagher.”
“It was not possible because Man Utd wanted to sign Gallagher on loan while Atletico Madrid had already rejected a loan approach from Crystal Palace,” he said. “The response from Atletico to Man Utd’s proposal was ‘no chance.’”
With Atlético Madrid ruling out any loan move, United’s midfield hunt ended in disappointment.
And if the start of the season is any indication, it could be a long, painful campaign ahead unless the current crop raise their levels.
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