Chelsea transfer bombshell! Conor Gallagher set to travel to Madrid to join Atletico after last-minute decision as Blues fail to break contract deadlock

Per multiple reports, the Blues have accepted Atletico's offer of €40 million (£34m) for the England international, who already had a verbal agreement with the Spanish club. Gallagher will now travel to Madrid on Monday to formally put pen to paper on Atletico's contract, valid until 2029.

It has been claimed that Chelsea had received higher offers than Atletico's present bid from other English clubs, however, the west London side decided to send the player abroad instead of selling him to Premier League rivals. 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. Gallagher was believed to be unhappy with the length of the terms on offer. Per Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth, the player took a last-minute decision before the weekend deadline that was set by the Spanish club to finalise the deal.

Along with the 24-year-old English midfielder, Diego Simeone's side will also sign Javi Guerra from Valencia. The Colchoneros had initially identified Guerra as a possible alternative for Gallagher in case they missed out on signing him.

With their academy graduate set to leave Stamford Bridge soon, the English giants could replace him with Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.