Madrid, Nov 17 (IANS) England international midfielder Conor Gallagher ruled out returning to the Premier League in January but admitted he can improve the football he is currently playing at Atletico Madrid.

Gallagher joined Atletico in the summer of 2024, but despite being a regular in Atletico coach Diego Simeone’s plans, most of his appearances this season have been from the substitutes’ bench, reports Xinhua.

This has led to speculation he could return to England to find the regular start he needs as he tries to earn a place in England’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.

“I’m very happy here,” said Gallagher in an interview in the Spanish sports paper, Diario AS, when asked about his future.

“My goal is to win titles with Atletico, and I want to have a more important role,” he insisted. “I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to play more minutes and help the team.”

He admitted he was “not satisfied” with his playing time this season, saying no player would be happy in that situation. “I’ll keep working hard to help the team whenever I get the chance, and hopefully more starts will come,” Gallagher said.

He acknowledged he has yet to show his best form since joining the Spanish club, noting that limited minutes make it harder to fully demonstrate his ability. “The most important thing is to do what’s best for the coach and the team,” he added.

“We didn’t start the way we all wanted, and it took us a few games to find our rhythm, but since those first few games, we have been in very good form, and hopefully we can continue like this,” Gallagher concluded.

The 25-year-old, born in Epsom in the Surrey county of England, joined Chelsea in 2018 after playing for grassroots teams Bookham Colts, Leatherhead Predators, and Epsom Eagles.

Soon after joining Chelsea, Gallagher was sent on loan to Charlton Athletic (2019–2020), followed by that loan stint with Swansea City (2020), West Bromwich Albion (2020-21), and Crystal Palace from 2021 to 2022. In 2024, he moved to Atletico Madrid.

–IANS

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