Atalanta star asks to be sold as Premier League clubs circle
Star Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners has announced that he has officially submitted a transfer request ahead of the summer window. The Netherlands international is widely seen as one of the top midfielders in the entire Serie A. Koopmeiners previously joined the Italian outfit for around $15 million back in 2021. Nevertheless, Atalanta will be looking for a significant return on their investment when selling the star.
During a recent interview with telegraaf.nl, Koopmeiners revealed that he nearly joined Napoli ahead of the current campaign. The two Italian rivals, however, could not agree on a specific transfer fee. The Dutch midfielder also claimed to be open to a major move to the Premier League.
“I told Atalanta I want to leave in the summer,” stated the playmaker. “Last season, there was concrete interest from Napoli, but the two clubs didn’t reach an agreement. I hope there will be options to consider this year. My girlfriend and I are enjoying Italy, but I would endure rain for some clubs in England.”
“I’d lie if I said I have no news of interest from Juventus and Premier League clubs. I read the news, too. I’ve had an amazing time at Atalanta, and I hope they will get a big sum.”
Manchester United scouts reportedly watch Koopmeiners for Atalanta
The comments by Koopmeiners will likely not exactly be received well by Atalanta brass. After all, it is fairly rare for players to publicly announce that they want to leave their team at the end of the season. The Serie A side is also currently fighting for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Atalanta sits just four points behind Roma for the fifth spot in the table, La Dea also has an extra game in hand compared to the Romans. Italy looks set to be one of two European countries to receive an extra place in the competition. As a result, five Italian top-flight teams will likely participate in the tournament in 2024/25.
Despite the distraction, Koopmeiners will certainly garner plenty of potential suitors come summertime. Football Italia reported earlier in the month that Manchester United sent scouts to watch the Dutchman face Juve. The playmaker did not disappoint and managed to score two goals in the fixture.
The Red Devils would seemingly be a solid fit for Koopmeiners this summer. After all, current United manager Erik ten Hag hails from the same nation as the midfielder. The English club should also be looking to improve their squad, particularly in the offensive department. United has only managed to score 39 goals in the top flight so far this season. This is the lowest of any team currently in the top 13 places in the table.
A bidding war among top Premier League teams
United, however, will have plenty of competition in the hunt for the Dutchman. Fellow Premier League teams Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with Koopmeiners in recent months as well. The Reds now have a packed midfield at the moment though. This is due to the club’s recent purchases of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch.
Spurs are also fairly set at the position as well. James Maddison, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, and Giovani Lo Celso are all at manager Ange Postecoglou’s disposal. Nevertheless, Lo Celso could very well depart the club this summer, which may then open a place for Koopmeiners.
Although an exact fee for the midfielder will not be determined until the summer, there have been suggestions that Atalanta will demand around $65 million for the playmaker. The Dutchman currently has a dozen goals in 34 total appearances on the season.
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