Spurs’ pursuit of an attacking midfielder takes a fresh twist at the start of the week.
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Tottenham Hotspur are reported to have made first contact with the representatives of Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher over a potential transfer back to the Premier League.
Spurs are in the market for midfield reinforcements having already added West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus to the squad for £55 million. Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White is a prime target with the club’s interest very public, but that deal is bagged down by legal complications.
It now appears as if Thomas Frank is not putting all his eggs in a Gibbs-White sized basket amid fresh Tottenham Hotspur transfer links with a player who supporters will know well.
Tottenham Hotspur eye Conor Gallagher swoop
That is former Chelsea man Gallagher. TBR Football reports that ‘intermediaries have been touching base’ to see if the midfielder would be willing to move back to the Premier League. Atletico Madrid have enjoyed a busy summer window so far, which could tempt the player to seek a move and guarantee his game time elsewhere.
Transfer specialist Graeme Bailey believes that Frank is a big admirer of Gallagher, with the player also on the radar of Newcastle United. Spurs are said to have admired Gallagher before his move to Atletico Madrid last summer.
Bailey told TBR: “Gallagher at this point is happy at Madrid, very happy, he has thoroughly enjoyed working with Simeone and feels he made the right choice in moving. He does have the England situation in the back of his mind, I am told, and feelers have been put out by intermediaries to check on his potential options, but as said, ideally he stays put.”
A move for Gallagher may only come as a back-up should the swoop for Nottingham Forest man Gibbs-White fall through. However, the Spurs pursuit of the player may have been given fresh hope by Forest locking in on a potential replacement.
Morgan Gibbs-White saga takes new twist
The Mirror claim that James McAtee has become a transfer priority for Forest as they prepare for a Europa League campaign. Manchester City are said to value McAtee at £35 million, which would be a fee easily payable should Gibbs-White be cashed in on.
McAtee made 27 appearances for Manchester City last season, having impressed on loan at Sheffield United, but is a way off of a consistent place in the starting XI under Pep Guardiola. Just nine of those 27 outings saw him named in the starting XI.
Speaking back in April, Guardiola said: "I didn't allow him to play minutes so I cannot ask anything from the players who don't play a lot of minutes. They could do better? No. Macca has this quality, the ability to create.
"He is there. The game worked better against Palace, you create chances. Macca close to the box is quite similar to Phil. They are there, a sense. It's difficult to train, to make that movement because the ball is coming. If he plays minutes he will score.
"For the age, I'd like him to stay. But I understand the players want more minutes. I would like him to stay, he's a player for the academy, he knows the patterns. He's a lovely person and trained really good. He can play different positions but I don't know how the squad will be and we will see."
In other news, Tottenham should ask Millwall or QPR to take 'outstanding' midfielder on loan - opinion.