'Chelsea since birth' - is Gallagher exit a 'soulless ploy' or sense?

Conor Gallagher went from being an eight-year-old Chelsea academy signing to wearing nan captain's armband.

Yet his 16-year spell astatine nan nine he grew up supporting is complete pursuing nan England midfielder's move to Atletico Madrid for astir £33m.

Some Chelsea supporters are upset astatine nan 24-year-old's departure, claiming homegrown Gallagher's exit increases nan gulf betwixt nan ownership and nan fanbase.

Others look fine pinch it, external and judge nan money for a subordinate who was retired of statement adjacent summertime will thief equilibrium nan books.

While nan statement among fans goes on, Gallagher is opening nan adjacent section of his profession successful Spain wherever he faces a showdown pinch England team-mate Jude Bellingham connected 29 September erstwhile Atletico big Real Madrid successful La Liga.

He leaves down a nine connected its 4th imperishable head since Chelsea's £4.25bn sale to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and backstage equity patient Clearlake Capital successful May 2022.

Gallagher besides leaves down a nine that has vanished 12th and sixth nan erstwhile 2 seasons - and which has continued to walk large this summer.

Has his exit put caller leader Enzo Maresca and nan owners nether moreover much pressure?

"There is only 1 point that eases this hostility and that is results connected nan pitch," said Chelsea instrumentality Nat Hayward.

"Lets hope, for their sake, it is simply a affirmative commencement to nan season."

BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella, said: "It’s safe to opportunity that sections of nan fanbase person raised their eyebrows complete nan curen and departure of a homegrown midfielder, who intelligibly loved nan club.

"There are a batch of parallels to Mason Mount’s departure to Manchester United past summertime - arsenic 2 celebrated homegrown stars felt they were pushed out.

"Ultimately, Chelsea don’t judge Gallagher, who has exceptional power level and fitness, is arsenic bully astatine playing nan short passing crippled that will soon characterise nan club.

"But it won’t extremity immoderate supporters emotion that each these income of academy players are a soulless ploy to screen transportation marketplace mistakes and support them compliant pinch nan Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules."

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin, added: "There was nary request to rotation it that Conor wasn't wanted because of nan caller possession style.

"The nine person been keen to rate successful connected him for a play aliases more, nan fans cognize this truthful don't reproach their intelligence pinch that line. I would wish Conor nan champion whether he ended up successful a Spanish villa aliases Aston Villa. He conscionable needs location his talents and fabulous cognition are valued."

Gallagher grew up section to Chelsea's Cobham training crushed and roseate done nan younker ranks astatine Stamford Bridge, winning nan Under-17 World Cup pinch England successful 2017.

However, it was not until 2022 that he was handed his elder Chelsea debut astatine nan property of 22 by Thomas Tuchel.

By past Gallagher had already had indebtedness spells astatine Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace.

It was while he was astatine Palace that he made his first elder England quality successful a 10-0 World Cup qualifying triumph distant to San Marino successful November 2021 - 3 years aft having minor bosom surgery., external

Gallagher's breakthrough play astatine Chelsea successful 2022-23 saw him make 35 Premier League appearances. His publication past season, erstwhile he scored 5 goals successful 37 top-flight appearances, was 2nd only to Cole Palmer, who vanished nan play pinch 22 Premier League goals.

While Chelsea are successful nan Europa Conference League successful 2024-25, Gallagher has joined a squad that will compete successful nan Champions League aft finishing 4th successful La Liga past play down champions Real Madrid, Barcelona and Girona.

"Gallagher adds nan dynamism, strength and capable value to thief nan squad and make an impact," said Spanish shot master Guillem Balague.

Atletico leader Diego Simeone is rebuilding his squad aft allowing erstwhile Chelsea guardant Alvaro Morata (AC Milan), ex-Manchester United guardant Memphis Depay and midfielder Saul (Sevilla, loan) to leave.

"They wanted to bring successful young blood," added Balague.

Gallagher joins nan likes of Billy Gilmour (Brighton), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Nottingham Forest), Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa), Lewis Hall (Newcastle) and Mason Mount (Manchester United) successful position of Cobham-developed players who person departed since nan 2022 takeover.

Boss Enzo Maresca has called connected nan Premier League to change their financial rules truthful clubs do not consciousness "compelled" to waste academy players.

When clubs waste academy graduates nan full transportation interest goes down arsenic 'pure profit' successful their accounts and tin thief them navigate nan apical flight's strict profit and sustainability rules.

Nevin told BBC Sport: "The 'legacy' fans are peculiarly distraught, but they besides understand this is small much than axenic economics. He is simply a home-grown talent, 'straight outta Cobham', arsenic it were and that intends he represents axenic profit erstwhile he is sold on.

‌"The nine needs nan Gallagher income to boost nan coffers having spent much than a cardinal pounds, only to observe they person nan looming Premier League PSR to consider.

"The England star, nan club's astir committed performer past season, a sometime skipper and a existent fans favourite is nan adjacent 1 to beryllium nudged out."

"It's not what Conor Gallagher is, it's what he represents," added Hayward.

"In a past era of Chelsea, accepting a £33m connection for him from Atletico Madrid would elicit acold little of a guidance than it has now.

"Gallagher is simply a committed, passionate and coagulated performer. But he is not remarkable. His homegrown position elevates his opinionated among supporters beyond wherever he would rank connected expertise alone.

"But this is not a Chelsea that boasts a midfield containing a Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, N'Golo Kante aliases Cesc Fabregas.

"This is simply a Chelsea that is without a awesome trophy for 3 years and has seldom felt further from silverware successful its modern history.

"Ticket prices person risen, nan public-facing imagination remains non-existent and instrumentality favourites are being hastily ushered retired of nan backdoor.

"When teams are going done challenging periods connected nan pitch, fans cling to nan relationship they consciousness to academy products. Last season, Gallagher's exuberance was a sparkling ray - particularly during nan difficult early months.

"So, nan de-identification of Chelsea continues and nan gulf betwixt ownership and fanbase increases."