Fans criticise Chelsea owners' decision to sell academy graduate Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid.
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Fans slam owners for selling GallagherMidfielder set to join Atletico MadridBlues to receive €40m (£34.1m) for the England starWHAT HAPPENED?
Per multiple reports, the Blues have agreed to sell Gallagher to Atletico Madrid for a transfer fee of €40m (£34.1m). The English midfielder, who verbally agreed to join the Spanish club, is all set to travel to Madrid on Monday to formally complete his move.
AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
The sale of Gallagher – a boyhood Chelsea fan and an academy graduate – did not go down well with the fans who slammed the club owners Todd Boehly and Co. on social media.
A fan named Otunba wrote on X while responding to Fabrizio Romano's post about the transfer, "Chelsea owners will regret this."
A handle named Crusz United reiterated the sentiment as he wrote, "Chelsea might regret losing Conor Gallagher."
A fan named John Osaigbovo accused Boehly and Co. of making money out of the club instead of focusing on rebuilding the team as he wrote, "The entire Chelsea family will regret letting Conor Gallagher leave. The new owners are here for business sake and not interested in reshaping the club."
A fan, with the handle named FPL Side Net Podcast, wrote, "I hope Conor absolutely smashes it over there. His treatment by the club has been nothing short of deplorable. For someone who did everything he could in his time to be treated as a commodity to balance books says more about the current ownership."
Jeff, on the other hand, wrote, "The @ChelseaFC management is doing things in an unprofessional manner. This is not the legacy of our club! Conor Gallagher did not want to leave his boyhood club but you forced him to do so because of money! Boehly, Stewart and Winstanley are big mistakes in this great club!"
(C) Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The midfielder is believed to have rejected a new contract at Stamford Bridge, where he was told he would be a squad player under new head coach Enzo Maresca. The terms failed to impress him and he decided against signing the new deal. He took a last-minute decision just before the deadline that was set by Atletico for the transfer.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
Maresca's side will play their last friendly match of the United States tour on August 6 against Real Madrid before returning to the United Kingdom. They are scheduled to play their final pre-season friendly against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge before kicking off the new 2024/25 campaign with a match against reigning champions Manchester City