Aston Villa Eye January Move for Manchester United Target Conor Gallagher

Aston Villa are reportedly considering a January move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has also been tracked by Manchester United, with the England international said to be open to a return to the Premier League.

According to reports, Villa manager Unai Emery is keen to strengthen his midfield options as his side continue their impressive and unexpected title challenge. The Midlands club sit just six points behind league leaders Arsenal after 21 matches and remain firmly in contention at both domestic and European levels.

The Daily Mail claims Emery is targeting an energetic central midfielder and has been a long-term admirer of Gallagher dating back to his time at Chelsea. The 25-year-old only joined Atletico Madrid 18 months ago in a £34 million move but has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter under Diego Simeone.

Gallagher has made 27 appearances for the La Liga side this season, although only nine of those have been starts. He featured from the beginning in Atletico’s Spanish Super Cup semi-final defeat to Real Madrid on Thursday but was substituted at half-time.

While the midfielder is understood to be settled in Madrid and enjoys a positive working relationship with Simeone, he is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of a move to Villa Park, where he could play a more prominent role.

Villa’s strong campaign has also seen them emerge as one of the favourites to win the Europa League, while they begin their FA Cup journey this weekend with a third-round clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

Regular first-team football could prove crucial for Gallagher as he looks to cement his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

Manchester United explored a move for Gallagher during the summer transfer window and entered January with the midfielder still on their shortlist, alongside fellow England internationals Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. However, it remains unclear whether the club’s interest has cooled following the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim last Monday.

Atletico Madrid are believed to be holding out for a fee of at least £35 million, a valuation that could complicate matters for Villa due to ongoing financial constraints. Emery is also keen to add a defender and a forward before the transfer window closes.

Villa may attempt to negotiate a loan deal with an obligation to buy, although Atletico have previously rejected similar proposals.

A Chelsea academy graduate, Gallagher made 95 senior appearances for the Blues and frequently wore the captain’s armband during his final season at Stamford Bridge. He also enjoyed a highly successful loan spell at Crystal Palace earlier in his career.