The January transfer window is often a time for clubs to fix problems and find missing pieces for their squad, but doing major business in the middle of the season is never easy.
For Tottenham Hotspur, one of the names that continues to be linked with a move to North London is Conor Gallagher.
The English midfielder, currently playing for Atletico Madrid in Spain, is a player that several Premier League clubs have admired for some time.
However, any team hoping to sign him when the window opens will face a very difficult challenge.
Atletico Madrid, managed by the famously stubborn Diego Simeone, have absolutely no desire to sell Gallagher.
The club sees him as an important part of their squad, especially with the team competing on multiple fronts.
If they manage to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, Simeone will want to keep his group as strong and deep as possible to handle the demanding schedule. Letting a key player leave in January would directly work against that goal.
This firm stance from the Spanish club comes despite the fact that Gallagher has not been a guaranteed starter in every La Liga match.
He has found minutes sometimes limited, but he remains a trusted option for the manager. This was clearly demonstrated when he was selected to start in the club’s biggest game of the season so far, a Champions League clash against Liverpool.
This shows that even with the speculation surrounding his future, he is still very much in the manager’s plans.
The other major obstacle for any interested club is the enormous fee that Atletico Madrid would demand.
The club is under no financial pressure to sell. They signed Gallagher just last year for a fee of around £33 million, and he is under a long-term contract that runs until the summer of 2029.
This puts them in a incredibly strong negotiating position. Reports suggest they would only consider offers starting at around £50 million, a huge sum for a January transfer. This high price tag is designed to scare off potential buyers, and it will likely succeed.
For Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, strengthening his midfield is understood to be a priority.
The injury to creative linchpin James Maddison earlier this season exposed a lack of depth in that area of the pitch. While the late summer signing of Xavi Simons was a boost, the manager is still thought to be keen on adding more options.
He is reportedly looking for both attack-minded creators and energetic box-to-box players, which is the profile that Gallagher fits perfectly.
However, with the Gallagher deal looking increasingly complicated and expensive, the club is also considering other targets.
Players like Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers are also said to be on their radar. Furthermore, the potential departure of current squad player Yves Bissouma, who has attracted interest from West Ham and Everton, could free up both funds and a space in the squad for a new midfielder.
In the end, a move for Conor Gallagher in January seems highly unlikely. The combination of a reluctant selling club, a prohibitive transfer fee, and the complication of Atletico’s own Champions League ambitions creates a perfect storm of obstacles.
While he remains a player that Tottenham and other English clubs admire, a transfer is much more probable in the summer, if it happens at all. For now, it appears Gallagher’s immediate future remains in the Spanish capital.
