Conor Gallagher set the record straight with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca after he was forced to accept a summer transfer to Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea and Atletico Madrid finally reached an agreement on a £36 million ($47m) transfer fee for Gallagher after a long and somewhat tense negotiation process. At one point, Atletico seemed ready to pull out of the deal, but the move eventually went through with the England midfielder staring at an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge after he was exiled by Maresca from the first team.

Gallagher’s exit has sparked mixed reactions among Chelsea supporters, with many feeling disappointed to see a homegrown talent leave when he was at the peak of his powers. The player also believes that his contributions over the years, particularly under previous manager Mauricio Pochettino, have been impressive but the necessity to balance the squad and reduce the wage bill to comply with the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability Regulations forced the Blues’ hierarchy to part ways with Gallagher.

When Gallagher was asked about his opinion on Maresca’s thoughts that he does not fit into the Italian’s style of football, he said: “I don’t think that’s true personally. I think last season I had a good season with Chelsea and you could see by Mauricio Pochettino playing me every game and showing his trust in me. And the fans appreciated what I did on the pitch. I’m very grateful for all of that and very thankful to the fans, and very thankful to Pochettino for giving me that platform to go and express myself and show the best version of myself at Chelsea.”

Gallagher had been associated with Chelsea since he was eight and despite the forced nature of his exit, Gallagher reflected on his time at Chelsea with pride, noting that it was always a dream of his to play for the club.

“Obviously in football, things happen. I have left Chelsea, but I look back at all my memories and I am really happy that I was able to play for them for the couple of years that I did. The dream came true. So I am very lucky,” he said.

“Honestly, with Chelsea, I have only got good things to say. Amazing football club, my boyhood club where I grew up through the academy. I am so thankful and grateful for everything they did for me in the academy and the first team. As for the fans, last season especially, they really warmed to me which made me feel confident and good and very happy as well so I leave Chelsea with really special memories.”

Now at Atletico Madrid, Gallagher has a new challenge ahead of him as he adapts to a different style of football in La Liga. Their next fixture is against Valencia on September 15 and Gallagher will be hoping to give a good account of himself at the Wanda Metropolitano.

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