Conor Gallagher joins Atlético Madrid as João Félix returns to Chelsea

Conor Gallagher has completed his transfer from Chelsea to Atlético Madrid for a fee believed to be in the region of £34m, with João Félix moving in the other direction for a fee believed to be in the region of £42m.

The 24-year-old midfielder has signed a five-year contract with Atlético, bringing to an end what had become something of a summer saga after the deal initially stalled, forcing Gallagher, who had been at Chelsea since the age of six, to train with the club’s under-21 squad.

“Atlético Madrid and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Conor Gallagher, who has signed for the club until 2029,” read an Atlético statement. Chelsea followed that up with a social media video looking back at Gallagher’s time at the club, alongside a message that read: “Conor Gallagher has completed a permanent transfer to Atlético Madrid. We wish Conor the very best as he begins a new chapter in his career.”

Publishing a statement on Instagram, Gallagher, who made 95 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 10 goals, said: “To everyone at Chelsea, thank you for making my dreams come true. It’s been an absolute honour every time I put on the shirt, and it was a dream come true to captain the team on many occasions. I loved every moment. These memories will last forever.

“I appreciate all the love and support from the fans. Hearing the chant of my name at the Bridge is a special feeling, and the banner you displayed meant the world to me. Thank you for everything. I wish the club all the best for the future, and I hope to see you all soon at Stamford Bridge.”

Gallagher’s exit paved the way for Félix to return to Stamford Bridge after spending six months there on loan in 2023. The 24-year-old Portugal forward has signed a seven-year contract and could feature in Sunday’s Premier League visit to Wolves. “He is a good player, a talent,” said Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca. “The club already knows him from two years ago. He can play different positions with us, inside, as a nine, outside.”

Another player departing Chelsea is England Under-21 defender Bashir Humphreys, who has joined Burnley on a season-long loan deal. The 21-year-old, who can play at both centre-back and left-back, made his Chelsea first-team debut in an FA Cup tie against Manchester City last January.

“Burnley is a club with huge ambitions, the owners know what they are doing, and they really want to push the club on as much as possible,” Humphreys said in a statement posted on Burnley’s official website. “It makes so much sense for the next step in my career. I had really good conversations with him [manager Scott Parker] and that is always pivotal when it comes to transfers.

“It was completely perfect, everything he was saying to me. He knew about my game; he wants to work with me and help me improve. That is all you want to hear as a player.” Humphreys was unveiled in a Lord of the Rings-themed video which quickly went viral after the deal was announced on Wednesday.