Conor Gallagher

Did You Know?

• Gallagher was born in Epsom, Surrey to Lee and Samantha Gallagher and is the youngest of four sons.
• He attended Howard of Effingham School and grew up in Great Bookham.
• In June 2026, Gallagher announced his engagement to Aine May.

Club career

Gallagher began playing for grassroots teams Bookham Colts, Leatherhead Predators and Epsom Eagles before joining Chelsea at age six. In October 2018 he signed a new contract with Chelsea until June 2021, and underwent minor heart surgery that year. He was an unused substitute in the 2019 UEFA Europa League final, earning a winner's medal, and was named Chelsea's Academy Player of the Year for 2018–19. In August 2019 he signed a new three-year contract and moved on loan to Championship side Charlton Athletic, where he won the EFL Young Player of the Month award for August after scoring three goals in six matches.

Chelsea recalled him on 14 January 2020, and the next day he joined Swansea City on loan for the remainder of the 2019–20 season. On 17 September 2020 he signed a five-year contract with Chelsea and was loaned to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion for 2020–21. He scored his first Premier League goal on 28 November in a 1–0 home win over Sheffield United, and his only other goal for West Brom came in a 5–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace on 6 December.

Gallagher was named Albion's Young Player of the Season as the club finished 19th and were relegated. In July 2021 he joined Crystal Palace on loan for 2021–22. He scored twice in a 2–2 draw with West Ham United on 28 August 2021, his first goals for Palace. In November a group of Leeds United fans directed homophobic chants at him, which the club condemned.

By early December he had six goals and three assists, the most of any Premier League player aged 21 or under. Chelsea prevented him from playing against them in the FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 2022; manager Thomas Tuchel apologised, and Chelsea won 2–0. Gallagher was named Crystal Palace's Player of the Year for 2021–22. He made his Chelsea first-team debut the following campaign and spent two seasons there before joining Atlético Madrid in 2024. After 18 months he returned to England, signing with Tottenham Hotspur in January 2026.

International career

Before making a competitive senior appearance, Gallagher could have chosen to play for England, Scotland, or the Republic of Ireland due to his family background. He came through England’s youth ranks at under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-20 levels, and was part of the squad that won the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. He got his first call-up to the England under-21s on 8 October 2019, making his debut three days later as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with Slovenia.

His first senior call-up arrived on 14 November 2021, and he made his senior debut the following day, coming on at half-time in a 10-0 win over San Marino. Gallagher made his first start in a 2-1 friendly victory against Switzerland on 26 March 2022, setting up a goal for Luke Shaw. He was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but did not play in any of England’s five matches. For Euro 2024, he was named in the squad and made his tournament debut as a 69th-minute substitute in a 1-0 win over Serbia.

He replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 54th minute against Denmark, then started the 0-0 draw with Slovenia, playing the first half before being replaced by Kobbie Mainoo. He also came off the bench against Slovakia in the round of 16 and the Netherlands in the semi-final, as England finished as runners-up. Gallagher scored his first international goal on 17 November 2024 in a 5-0 Nations League win over the Republic of Ireland.