Manchester United made a late move to sign Conor Gallagher on loan, but the attempt was rejected. The Premier League club hoped to bring the midfielder in during the final 48 hours of the summer transfer window.
Reports confirm that Atletico Madrid turned down the approach. The Spanish side made it clear that they were not interested in loaning Gallagher out. Instead, they would only consider a permanent transfer for the 25-year-old midfielder.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that the talks did take place, but Atletico’s stance was firm. Gallagher had also attracted interest from Crystal Palace earlier in the window, but their loan bid was also rejected. This shows Atletico’s consistent position of not allowing the player to leave on a temporary deal.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was left disappointed. He wanted Gallagher to add energy and pressing ability to the midfield. United had already blocked a loan exit for young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, making squad options even more limited.
Gallagher has been valued highly for his work rate and box-to-box qualities. However, Atletico Madrid see him as an asset they prefer to sell rather than loan. This makes any future deal more expensive and difficult for interested clubs.
With the summer transfer window now closed, Manchester United must work with their existing squad. They could return with a permanent offer in January, but that would require significant investment. For now, Gallagher stays in Spain, and United will look at other ways to strengthen their midfield.
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