Tottenham Hotspur has officially announced the signing of England midfielder Conor Gallagher from Spanish side Atlético Madrid. The Premier League club confirmed the transfer on Wednesday, with the 25-year-old joining Spurs on a deal that will run until 2031.

Gallagher initially moved to Atlético Madrid from Chelsea in August 2024. This previous deal was reportedly worth around €40 million ($44m) or approximately £33 million, with Portugal forward Joao Felix moving in the opposite direction at the time. After 17 months in the Spanish capital, the midfielder now returns to London to play under manager Thomas Frank.

Gallagher's decision to leave Atlético was influenced by increased competition for a starting spot within Diego Simeone's squad. Atlético had significantly bolstered its midfield by signing Johnny Cardoso, Álex Baena, Thiago Almada, and Nico González in the summer, which often saw Gallagher starting games from the bench.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the move, Gallagher stated in Tottenham's announcement, "I wanted to be a Spurs player and thankfully the Club felt the same. It was very easy, it happened very quickly and I'm ready to get on the pitch." He added, "I know how great the fans are, I'm really happy to be a part of it here and want to create special moments and memories together."

Gallagher joins a Tottenham side currently facing challenges with consistency and a string of significant injuries. Key players are sidelined, including James Maddison, who is likely out for the entire campaign after rupturing his ACL in preseason, and Rodrigo Bentancur, expected to miss at least three months following hamstring surgery. Mohammed Kudus is anticipated to be out until after the March international window with a thigh injury, and Dejan Kulusevski has not featured since April due to a knee problem, with his return not imminent.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank praised the new signing, highlighting Gallagher's qualities. "He is still young, so has plenty of room for improvement, but also has huge experience across the Premier League, La Liga and with the England national team," Frank said. He further noted, "Conor has captained teams so will bring leadership, maturity, character and personality to our dressing room, while his running power, pressing ability and eye for goal will strengthen us in a key area of the pitch. I'm excited about working with him every day and I know the fans will love what he will bring to the team." Tottenham reportedly secured Gallagher's signature ahead of competition from clubs like Aston Villa.