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Conor Gallagher says he is not bitter about his Chelsea departure and believes it was part of Enzo Maresca’s plans.
The England midfielder also insists he is “really happy with the outcome” of the transfer saga which finally ended with him joining Atletico Madrid for £35.8million plus add-ons.
The transfer fee was booked as a net profit on Chelsea’s balance sheet as he is an academy graduate. Gallagher was expected to play a reduced regular role in the team under new manager Maresca.
But the 24-year-old, who was one of Chelsea’s key players under Mauricio Pochettino last season, said: “I don’t think that’s true personally.
“Last season I had a good season with Chelsea and you could see that by seeing me play in every game and showing confidence in me. The fans appreciated what I did on the pitch.
“I’m very grateful for all of that and very grateful to the fans, and very grateful to Pochettino for giving me this platform to go and express myself and show the best version of myself at Chelsea.”
Gallagher, who is playing for England ahead of the Nations League games against Ireland and Finland, has been told the perception is he has been pushed out of Chelsea to ease financial pressure on the club.
“I honestly have nothing but good things to say about Chelsea,” he said. “It’s an incredible football club, my childhood club where I grew up through the academy. I leave Chelsea with some really special memories.
“In football, things happen. As everyone knows, a lot has happened in recent weeks as Chelsea and Atletico try to reach an agreement.
“Other situations have arisen, but I was always confident that the deal would come to fruition because of the way the manager [Diego] Simeone and the club spoke about me and about me. I’m really happy with the result.
Gallagher admitted that finding himself in limbo in a Madrid hotel as Samu Omorodion’s reverse transfer from Ateltico to Chelsea fell through was “strange”.
He added: “Chelsea make their own decisions and they have signed top players on long-term contracts. That wasn’t the case for me but, in the end, what happened is good for everyone, so everyone is happy.”
Chelsea fans chanted Gallagher’s name in his absence at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season as the Blues lost 2-0 to Manchester City.
“It goes back to my point that I’m really grateful for the support and love that the Chelsea fans have shown me, not just last season but since I left,” he said. “I have a lot of love for the fans.”
