BBC · Aug 21, 2024
'Chelsea since birth' - is Gallagher exit a 'soulless ploy' or sense?
Image caption, Conor Gallagher joined Chelsea when he was eightConor Gallagher went from being an eight-year-old Chelsea academy signing to wearing the captain's armband.
Yet his 16-year spell at the club he grew up supporting is over following the England midfielder's move to Atletico Madrid for about £33m.
Some Chelsea supporters are upset at the 24-year-old's departure, claiming homegrown Gallagher's exit increases the gulf between the ownership and the fanbase.
Others appear fine with it, external and believe the money for a player who was out of contract next summer will help balance the books.