Gallagher leaves Chelsea to join Villa and more unexpected Premier League transfers that make sense

Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid? Nobody saw this deal coming when this summer transfer window began, but the La Liga giants are a more suitable alternative to Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

The England international has been told he “will not play any more” after Gareth Southgate infuriatingly insisted on using the one-dimensional terrier in certain Euro 2024 matches simply because he runs so much. His game is much more in line with club football, with his impressive work-rate and Diego Simeone’s hard-nosed approach certainly making their union a perfect fit.

Chelsea midfielder ‘banned’ from boyhood club could leave inspired us to pick out a few more unexpected summer 2024 transfers (including two PSR deals and a couple of Ligue 1 returns to England) involving Premier League clubs that *actually* make a lot of sense…

Elliot Anderson (Newcastle United to Nottingham Forest, £35m)
Desperate Premier League clubs have been having a field day this summer as they try to balance the books and avoid a points deduction imposed by the PSR, with five deals more ridiculous than the one that saw Anderson leave boyhood club Newcastle for Forest.

It’s understandable that much has been made of the exorbitant fee Forest paid to sign a relatively inexperienced player, given the 21-year-old has just 13 Premier League starts under his belt.

But Anderson shone when given rare opportunities to shine for the Magpies, and manager Eddie Howe was always full of praise for him.

Anderson’s path to becoming a mainstay in Newcastle’s first team has slowed significantly following the arrival of the deep-pocketed PIF, and he is perhaps the player most affected by the takeover.

Had the dark era of Mike Ashley lasted for another year or so, Anderson would have been a regular starter and would have been considered a rare ray of sunshine for the miserable Newcastle fans. But with PIF calling the shots, the departure of a big-money academy product with immense potential was a necessary evil for all parties and he will get a lot more game time at Nottingham Forest, who could have a gem on their hands.

READ: Liverpool in ‘failure’ year, Arsenal second again, Martin sacked: Early Premier League predictions

Ian Maatsen (Chelsea to Aston Villa, £37.5m)
An even less controversial deal with PSR saw Chelsea sell left-back Maatsen to Premier League rivals Aston Villa, who now have a Champions League finalist in their squad for their return to Europe’s elite competition.

Maatsen’s excellent performances while on loan at Dortmund suggested he has what it takes to succeed at Stamford Bridge. But Marc Cucurella’s brilliance for Spain at Euro 2024 would likely have seen the 22-year-old remain in a similar position in the pecking order under new manager Enzo Maresca as he was during Mauricio Pochettino’s year in charge.

Villa have overcome their own struggles at PSR to make a much-needed addition to their squad ahead of their Champions League campaign. Midfield duo Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley should be useful additions, while Maatsen should be considered an upgrade on Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno.

Iliman Ndiaye (Marseille to Everton, £17m)
I smiled wryly when Oli McBurnie’s move from Sheffield United to Las Palmas was announced recently. A red-haired Scotsman sunning himself in Spain in the twilight of his footballing career? Good for him.

McBurnie scored six Premier League goals in an injury-plagued season, which – for Sheffield United – was destined to end in misery after Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge were sold last summer.

Talented 24-year-old Ndiaye was one of the Championship’s best players in 2022/23 but was transferred to Marseille as the Blades needed cash ahead of their return to the Premier League.

The Senegalese international’s disappointing debut season in Ligue Un paved the way for a return to England, and Everton – who have done some great business under the radar – were more than happy to take him off their hands.

With Sean Dyche as his manager, It is no surprise that Everton’s success last season was built on their defensive determinationBut with the Toffees sometimes lacking in attack, Ndiaye will add a dash of spark in attacking areas and will prove to be a bargain if he can replicate his United form at Goodison Park.

MORE PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSFER FEATURES ON F365…
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👉 Most expensive Premier League academy graduate signings of all time – Chelsea released 1) for nothing
👉 Man Utd and Chelsea avoid bottom spot in Premier League clubs’ transfer value rankings

Ismaila Sarr (Marseille to Crystal Palace, £12.5m)
Ndiaye’s former Marseille team-mate Sarr has joined the Everton newcomer on his return to the Premier League, with Palace seemingly securing a bargain by securing his services for just £12.5m.

The 26-year-old was consistently Watford’s standout performer as they bounced between the Premier League and Championship for four years and has previously been linked with a high-profile move to Liverpool.

His value has fallen in recent seasons, but with the help of Oliver Glasner-ball, he could easily prove to be a huge coup for Palace, who will soon learn whether being the Premier League pre-season team of the year matters.

The spooky trio of Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise were split up this summer with the latter’s move to Bayern Munich one of the biggest transfers of this window.

Palace’s much sought-after sporting director Dougie Freedman had a tough task trying to replace Olise, but Sarr is the best option they could hope for.

Ryan Sessegnon (Tottenham Hotspur to Fulham, free transfer)
This summer transfer window has been pretty uneventful, but it has included some healthy returns for former clubs. Jack Grealish could be next for Aston Villa after Adam Lallana renewed with Southampton and Fulham brought Sessegnon back home.

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall should be wary as some young stars have failed to achieve the success they had hoped for after joining Spurs, and Sessegnon is unfortunately a case in point.

Signed for £25m as a teenager, 24-year-old Sessegnon made just 38 Premier League appearances for Tottenham before being released after his contract expired at the end of June.

The left-back was once tipped to be the next big thing but was ravaged by injuries and only managed seven minutes of first-team football last season.

With Sessegnon in desperate need of game time, this summer was the right time to seek a fresh start and return to boyhood club Fulham – who may have just signed the window by now – might be just what he needs.