Man Utd seeking ‘try before you buy’ loan deal for £33m midfielder who needs Jan move to revive WC hopes

Manchester United will reportedly test Atletico Madrid’s resolve over a loan for Conor Gallagher next month.The Old Trafford faithful will likely already be aware that United have been linked with the midfielder on numerous occasions in recent months.In fact, the club went as far as submitting a loan offer for Gallagher in the closing stages of the summer window but saw their attempts rebuffed by Atleti, who were only keen on facilitating a permanent transfer.Crystal Palace also tried their luck in bringing the former loanee back to Selhurst Park for the campaign, yet endured the same fate as United.Why Gallagher is contemplating a mid-season Atleti exit(Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)However, the fact that the Chelsea graduate, who left Stamford Bridge for the Wanda Metropolitano in a £33 million deal last year, is being utilised sparingly by Diego Simeone this term might have altered the board’s stance.They’ll know that Gallagher is growing increasingly frustrated over his lack of minutes, especially considering it’s preventing him from being restored to the England setup. Competition Appearances Starts Minutes played La Liga 16 4 540 Champions League 6 3 286 *Gallagher’s game time for Atletico this season, as per TransfermarktHe hasn’t featured for his nation since June, making only one appearance since Thomas Tuchel succeeded Gareth Southgate at the turn of the year.It goes without saying that minutes in the build-up to a World Cup campaign are absolutely vital for a player pinning their hopes on making the squad, not least the 22-capped star.United plan Gallagher pursuit (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)According to Ben Jacobs, speaking to The United Stand, United could look to negotiate a ‘try before you buy’ deal by signing the 25-year-old until the end of 2025/2026, after which they would potentially look to offer him a long-term contract.INEOS being fans of Gallagher would align with their recent pattern of trying to acquire Premier League-proven talents, hence welcoming Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha over the summer. Appearances Goals Assists 136 18 13 *Gallagher’s Premier League record