- Conor Gallagher came on as a second-half substitute as Atletico Madrid beat RB Leipzig
- He posed with Chelsea academy players after they came to watch him play.
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Conor Gallagher has been pictured with Chelsea youth players just a month after his departure from the Blues.
The 24-year-old joined Atletico Madrid last month in a £34million deal that brought to an end his 18-year spell in west London.
Gallagher was a second-half substitute for Atletico as they opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over RB Leipzig on Thursday night.
And then he was photographed smiling alongside several youngsters from Chelsea’s academy who came to see the midfielder after he had travelled to Spain for the Madrid Football Cup.
“Great to see some of the academy lads in Madrid. Appreciate them coming out to see me and the team last night. Good luck in the tournament,” Gallagher posted on Instagram.
Conor Gallagher posed with Chelsea youth players who came to watch him play
The midfielder was a substitute when Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat RB Leipzig
Gallaghern signed a five-year contract with Atletico after sealing his transfer from boyhood club Chelsea this summer.
In a protracted saga, his transfer initially stalled after he agreed personal terms when the Blues’ move for Atletico’s Samu Omorodion fell through.
Gallagher returned to Cobham to train on his own and wait nervously to see if the deal would go through.
When Enzo Maresca’s side signed Joao Felix from Atletico for £42.7m, he was finally able to move to the Spanish capital.
Gallagher scored his first goal for Atletico in a 3-0 win over Valencia and is relishing the chance to impress in Madrid.
“I have felt very loved and valued, which is important for any footballer. Chelsea is a great football club, one of the biggest in the world, along with Atlético,” said the former player on loan from Crystal Palace. The Athletic.
Gallagher is relishing the chance to impress at Atletico and says he feels appreciated
“But I’ve taken that exciting step of playing in the Champions League and fighting for trophies. It gives me even more confidence and happiness to play my best football. I was very excited to join Atlético.
“When I look back on my time at Chelsea, I feel very proud and honoured to have played for the club. It was time to move on and Atlético is the perfect club to take the next step in my career. I feel very fortunate and lucky to be in this position.”