Tottenham have ‘shown interest’ in signing former Chelsea star who is “not satisfied” as his current club

Nicolas Jackson and Conor Gallagher. (REUTERS/David Klein)

Tottenham endured a derby day nightmare on Sunday.

A ruthless Arsenal tore them apart 4-1 at the Emirates, with former Spurs target Eberechi Eze — who was widely reported to have agreed to join Spurs before choosing Arsenal instead — scoring a hat-trick in one of the most devastating North London Derby performances in recent memory.

Leandro Trossard scored the Gunners’ other goal, while Richarlison’s consolation strike did little to soften what was a sobering reminder for Thomas Frank: Spurs’ progress is clear, but they are still not ready to compete with the very best.

And now, as the club look for reinforcements to continue their rebuild, attention may turn to a familiar Premier League face.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham are among several Premier League clubs who have “shown interest” in signing former Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, now at Atletico Madrid.

Gallagher recently admitted that while he is “happy” in Spain, he is “not satisfied” with his limited minutes this season. Despite making 16 appearances, he has been used off the bench 12 times — more than any other Atletico player — and has slipped behind academy product Pablo Barrios in the pecking order.

A number of Premier League clubs explored a deal late in the summer window, but Atletico refused to sanction an exit, especially not on loan. That stance hasn’t changed, with the La Liga side still unwilling to send him out temporarily, even though Gallagher wants consistent football as he pushes for a place at the World Cup.

Any move would therefore require a permanent transfer, and Atletico are expected to demand at least the £35m they paid for him in 2024.

Sky Sports add that nearly every major Premier League club has shown interest in Gallagher at some point — with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City the exception — putting Spurs firmly in the mix.

For Tottenham, Gallagher’s all-action, combative, box-to-box profile could be exactly what Frank wants to inject fresh energy and intensity into his midfield.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.