Conor Gallagher takes very subtle jab at Chelsea after first Atletico Madrid goal

Conor Gallagher appeared to aim a subtle dig at Chelsea after opening his account for Atletico Madrid on the weekend. The former Blues midfielder scored his first goal for his new club as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Valencia in La Liga.

Gallagher joined Atletico after spending weeks in limbo at Chelsea, where he had been deemed surplus to requirements. He was one of several players banished from first-team training before his move to Madrid was delayed by factors beyond his control.

Chelsea were set to sign Atletico youngster Samu Omorodion as part of the agreement but that deal collapsed, leaving Gallagher in the dark. They ended up signing Joao Felix instead, allowing the England midfielder to finally move to Spain.

After scoring for Atletico on the weekend, Gallagher appeared to dig out Chelsea by insisting that it was nice to feel ‘wanted and appreciated’ by his new club.

“It was definitely worth the wait,” he told The Athletic when asked what it felt like to score against Valencia. “I’ve felt very wanted and appreciated, which is important for any footballer.

“Chelsea are a huge football club, one of the biggest in the world, along with Atletico, but I have taken that exciting step of playing Champions League football and challenging for trophies. It just builds me with even more confidence and happiness to play my best football.

“I’m really happy to be here and I’m settling in well. I’ve loved my first few weeks. I knew Atletico was always a massive club, a top club in La Liga and doing well in the Champions League, so I was excited to join.

“It was really good to win against Valencia and score my first goal. Hopefully, we can build on this and I can gain more confidence.”

Gallagher, the first English player to score for Atletico in over 100 years, has played in three out of four league games so far this season. They are yet to concede a single goal, with Gallagher’s midfield presence helping to keep things tight when out of possession.

The 24-year-old has quickly endeared himself to Diego Simeone with his determined displays in matches and on the training ground.

Speaking after the win over Valencia, the Atletico boss said: “He came with a lot of enthusiasm and we needed that kind of player in the midfield because he makes us better. He does not stop giving his best in every game situation in which he participates.”