Aston Villa contact Atletico Madrid over loan move for Conor Gallagher 

Aston Villa have initiated contact with Atletico Madrid over a loan deal for midfielder Conor Gallagher, according to The Times.

Villa are exploring an initial loan with an option to buy, testing Atletico’s resolve as the Spanish club would prefer a permanent sale.​

Gallagher moved to Atletico from Chelsea in the summer of 2024 and impressed in his debut campaign.

However, this season has seen his minutes dip significantly, with only four La Liga starts and 15 substitute appearances. As a result, the 25-year-old is open to a Premier League return.

Atletico want a fee similar to the £35.8 million paid to Chelsea for Gallagher and are reluctant to allow a straight loan.

In the light of this, Villa—mindful of Financial Fair Play and other squad priorities—are pushing for a structure that delays the bulk of the outlay until the summer window.​

Tottenham Hotspur and other Premier League clubs are also monitoring Gallagher’s situation and are preparing to enter the race for the Englishman, but Villa are currently viewed as frontrunners after formalising their interest with Atletico.

Unai Emery’s side are bracing themselves for a busy winter transfer window with the Midlands club firmly in the Premier League title race, although Champions League qualification remains the major priority.

Villa claimed a narrow 2-1 victory over Spurs on Saturday to secure safe passage into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

They are next in action against Everton on Sunday and will set out to continue their fine start to 2026.