Barcelona transfer news: Atletico Madrid 'identify' Blaugrana midfielder as Conor Gallagher replacement

Atletico Madrid have reportedly identified Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado as a potential replacement for Conor Gallagher.

Diego Simeone's side have sanctioned the departure of Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur, with the England international joining Thomas Frank's side in a deal worth £35m.

Manchester United and Aston Villa had also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old, but Spurs have moved quickly to secure his services on a long-term contract.

According to reports in Spain, Atletico have moved quickly to identify a replacement, with the capital giants wanting to sign Casado from Barcelona.

The La Liga champions are said to be willing to let Casado leave for €25m (£21.7m) this month, with the Spaniard finding it difficult to secure regular action at Camp Nou.

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Atletico 'identify' Casado as Gallagher replacement

Casado was linked with a move to the Premier League during the summer transfer window, with Chelsea and Arsenal both thought to be keen, but he stayed put.

The 22-year-old came through the youth system at Barcelona, and he has featured on 59 occasions for the La Liga giants, scoring once and providing seven assists.

This season, Casado has made 18 appearances, but the Spaniard has only started six times in La Liga, with Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Eric Garcia ahead of him in the pecking order.

Casado is believed to be open to leaving Barcelona in search of regular starts, and a January switch to Atletico could potentially be on the cards.

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Would Barcelona regret Casado transfer?

The midfielder enjoyed an impressive 2024-25 campaign for the Catalan outfit, featuring on 36 occasions in all competitions, but it is difficult to imagine him ever being a regular starter for Hansi Flick's side due to the competition in that area of the field.

A sale in January would do a lot for Barcelona's finances and place them in a strong position ahead of the summer transfer window, but the Catalan club must hold firm on their alleged asking price considering Casado's skillset, which could hugely benefit Atletico.