Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks to sign former Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, according to football.london.
The north London side reportedly want to sign the Atletico Madrid midfielder this month and are prepared to rival Aston Villa in the race for his signature.
Villa submitted an offer to bring Gallagher back to the Premier League last weekend, while Spurs are said to have opened informal talks over the weekend.
Atletico are only expected to entertain talks for a permanent deal for the England international, who left Stamford Bridge for the Spanish capital in the summer of 2024.
Tottenham Join Race for Conor Gallagher
According to football.london, Tottenham have been long-term admirers of Gallagher and looked to sign the midfielder even before his move to Atletico 18 months ago.
Other European clubs are also claimed to hold an interest in the 25-year-old, while Manchester United explored a move for Gallagher in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
The £200,000-a-week, midfielder is believed to be open to leaving Atletico this month amid his limited playing time under manager Diego Simeone during the 2025/26 season.
Gallagher has only made nine starts across all competitions for the Spanish giants this season, including just four in La Liga, where Atletico sit fourth after 19 games.
The 25-year-old has amassed 77 appearances for the club since arriving from Chelsea in 2024, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists.
Tottenham are believed to have identified a new central midfielder as one of their priority signings this month, as well as a new left-back, left winger and a centre-back if one leaves.
Spurs Close to First January Signing
Tottenham are closing in on their first piece of January business, with promising Santos left-back Souza expected to join in a deal worth £15m.
The Brazilian defender is due to undergo a medical in London before completing his transfer, with an agreement over a five-year contract in place.
Spurs were looking to bolster their left-back options amid ongoing injury problems for Destiny Udogie, who has made just six Premier League starts this season.
Djed Spence has deputised at left-back in the Italy international’s absence, with Udogie yet to feature for Spurs since the start of December.
Tottenham, who were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday, have won just once in their last seven games under Thomas Frank.