Chelsea face ‘another 20 statements’ as atmosphere gets ‘hostile’ with Terry ‘gutted’ at transfer decision
Chelsea legend John Terry is “gutted” at Conor Gallagher leaving Stamford Bridge with the Blues facing a “really embarrassing situation”.
Academy product Gallagher had become a fan favourite in west London but it had become clear over the last six months that Chelsea were keen on selling the England international.
Gallagher signed a five-year contract at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in a deal worth around £33.7million and had been the subject of speculation for some time as he entered the final year of his contract.
The 24-year-old had been a regular in the Chelsea side over the past two seasons after loan spells at Charlton, Swansea, West Brom and Crystal Palace earlier in his career.
He made 95 appearances for the Blues, scoring 10 goals, and also captained the side on a number of occasions last season, while Gallagher was also part of the England squad which reached the final of Euro 2024 this summer.
Chelsea legend Terry posted a picture of Gallagher on Instagram with a blue heart emoji and the caption: “Gutted to see you go @conorgallagher92. Good luck mate.”
And Gallagher posted an emotional message on his social media pages, he wrote: “To everyone at Chelsea, thank you for making my dreams come true.
“It’s been an absolute honor every time I put on the shirt, and it was a dream come true to captain the team on many occasions. I loved every moment.
“These memories will last forever. I appreciate all the love and support from the fans. Hearing the chant of my name at the Bridge is a special feeling, and the banner you displayed meant the world to me.
“Thank you for everything. I wish the club all the best for the future, and I hope to see you all soon at Stamford Bridge!”
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Raheem Sterling was left out of the Chelsea squad for Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Manchester City and his representatives released a statement questioning the decision.
It has since been revealed by Enzo Maresca that Sterling, Ben Chilwell and at least 15-20 other players are training away from the first team after Chelsea made Joao Felix their tenth summer signing earlier this week.
And now former Everton CEO Keith Wyness predicts that Chelsea are “going to see another 20 statements like this at any time” with the atmosphere at the Premier League club now “completely hostile”.
Wyness told Football Insider: “If it was a player issuing a statement like that normally, he would’ve been labelled a troublemaker. But in this case, he’s got nothing but my sympathy.
“We’re going to see another 20 statements like this at any time. It’s a really embarrassing situation for Chelsea.
“Even if five players come out, it’s a really big problem. It just shows that Chelsea aren’t respecting people or professionals – and they’re just going about things in entirely the wrong way.
“Sterling has now played under five different managers at Chelsea. How can you expect him to play at his best when there isn’t stability or a connection?
“It’s such an important thing. It’s key, and that’s what players breed off.
“The Chelsea environment is completely hostile and it’s not an atmosphere for high performance – I just don’t see how it can be. It seems obvious to everyone else.”
