Conor Gallagher has aligned himself with a familiar face as he adapts to life at Atletico Madrid.
The midfielder put an end to a long-running transfer saga by signing a five-year deal with the Spanish giants for a fee believed to be in the region of £34million.
It has been a summer of discontent for Gallagher, who was part of the England squad beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final before his move to LaLiga initially stalled.
Gallagher returned from Madrid to London and was forced to train with Chelsea’s Under-21s squad, despite having been at the club since the age of six.
But the 24-year-old finally got his wish of a move to the Spanish capital on Wednesday.
And, having previously agreed personal terms, he got straight into the thick of the action with his first training session before his transfer was even announced.
While Gallagher knows he must try to grasp the Spanish language as quickly as possible, one former Chelsea star has been only too happy to give him a helping hand.
Former Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta stayed by Gallagher’s side during training on Wednesday morning to help translate the instructions laid out by the coaching team.
In a video posted by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Azpilicueta can be seen explaining drills in English so that Gallagher has some understanding of the expectations.
The Spaniard’s support will no doubt be a huge help for Gallagher, whose whirlwind summer appears to finally have a resolution.
Azpilicueta swapped Stamford Bridge for Atletico Madrid last summer and knows all about Gallagher’s qualities from their time together in west London.
Boss Diego Simeone will hope the Englishman can hit the ground running and Azpilicueta could play a huge role in speeding up the bedding in period.
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Gallagher could be in line for his debut on Sunday when Atleti host last season’s LaLiga surprise package Girona – who finshed third in the table in only their second campaign back in the top flight following their promotion in 2022.
If Gallagher does not make it for the Girona clash, the midfielder will hope to grab a first taste of the Cívitas Metropolitano when Espanyol visit next Wednesday.
All eyes will be on the Madrid derby when Gallagher will go up against Three Lions teammate Jude Bellingham on September 29.
