Aston Villa join the transfer race for England international midfielder: report

Aston Villa are interested in signing Atlético Madrid and England midfielder before Monday’s transfer deadline.

The summer transfer window closes at 7pm UK time on Monday and Villa are racing against time to secure new signings to bolster a diminished squad. The 25-year-old is reportedly on their radar.

Villa face stiff competition with Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur all apparently among the interested parties along with Everton, Newcastle United and Atalanta.

Diego Simeone’s Atléti aren’t keen to let Gallagher leave easily, with reported price tags anywhere between €40 million and his contract release clause at €60 million.

The English midfielder made the somewhat surprising move to Spain last year and took no time at all getting acquainted with La Liga. In all competitions he made a total of 52 appearances under Simeone, racking up ten goal contributions including a vital goal in a Madrid derby Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.

Evolving with the Eagles

The Epsom-born midfielder was part of the Chelsea squad as early as 2019 but jumped into the public consciousness with Crystal Palace, Villa’s next Premier League opponents, in the 2021/22 season.

During his fourth loan spell, Gallagher scored eight times and contributed five assists in 39 appearances as Palace continued to consolidate in the top division and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

After making his name at Selhurst Park, Gallagher took his chance back at Chelsea and left for the Spanish capital as a respected player for club and country.

Gallagher was in England’s squads at the World Cup in 2022 and the European Championship in 2024 under former Palace midfielder and Villa defender Gareth Southgate, but hasn’t been able to nail down a regular spot in the starting line-up.

Villa have drawn one and lost one of their first two Premier League matches of the season and midfield has been a particular area of concern, albeit not a matter of a lack of depth, with Youri Tielemans and John McGinn playing out of position while Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana form Unai Emery’s preferred double pivot.

Kamara picked up a knock early in the loss at Brentford and will miss the next few weeks. Tielemans is expected to drop back into his more familiar position to replace the French international when Villa welcome Palace to Birmingham on Sunday evening.

McGinn and Lamare Bogarde could also be in Emery’s thinking, while George Hemmings, one of Villa’s impressive youngsters in pre-season, is also a midfield talent worth keeping an eye on.

The post Aston Villa join the transfer race for England international midfielder: report appeared first on AVillaFan.com – Aston Villa Fan Site.