Atletico Madrid on Conor Gallagher

Valencia's sporting director, Miguel Angel Corona, has revealed that Atletico Madrid attempted to withdraw from their agreement to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher to pursue Valencia player Javi Guerra instead. Gallagher, who is set to finalize his move to Atletico for £33.7 million, was initially hesitant but eventually agreed to the transfer shortly before a self-imposed deadline. Meanwhile, Valencia had been in discussions with Atletico regarding Guerra, who was prepared to move to Madrid until they shifted their focus back to Gallagher. Corona stated that Atletico communicated their intention to back out of the Gallagher deal only after delays in documentation, leaving Valencia in the dark. Ultimately, Atletico's late change of plans resulted in Guerra's deal collapsing, and he will remain at Valencia for now. The situation underscores the complexities and potential miscommunications in high-stakes football transfers.