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Tom OlverPublished Mar 27, 2024, 4:03pm|Updated Mar 27, 2024, 4:04pm
Atalanta chief Luca Percassi has poured cold water on speculation linking Teun Koopmeiners with Liverpool and Juventus this summer and insists the midfielder has never asked to be sold.
Koopmeiners is having a phenomenal season with Atalanta, racking up ten goals and three assists in Serie A, and has fast become one of the most sought-after players in Italian football.
In Europe’s top five leagues, the 26-year-old is part of an elite club of just two players to reach double figures from midfield over the last two seasons, along with Manchester City sensation Phil Foden.
Juventus have been credited with a strong interest in Koopmeiners and the Dutchman’s eye-catching performance at the Allianz Stadium before the international break, in which he scored twice in a 2-2 draw, convinced the Turin giants he was the real deal.
Liverpool have also been tracking Koopmeiners for some time and could rival Juve for the Netherlands international in the summer transfer window, with the club keen to bolster their midfield options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Speaking to De Telegraaf earlier this month, Koopmeiners fuelled rumours of a possible move and claimed he had informed Atalanta of his desire to leave at the end of the season.
‘Last year there was concrete interest from Napoli. However, in the end the two clubs did not find an agreement. I told Atalanta that in the coming summer I want to move,’ Koopmeiners told the Dutch newspaper.
‘But something really interesting must present itself to leave Bergamo.
‘My fiancée and I are having a great time in Italy, but for some clubs in England I could even bear the rainy days there.
‘I hope options present themselves so I can think about it.’
Koopmeiners, capped 21 times by the Netherlands national team, said he hoped Atalanta were able to attract a ‘good fee’ from his sale in the future.
‘I hope Atalanta gets a good fee for me because I had a wonderful time in Bergamo,’ he added.
‘I would be lying if I said i didn’t hear the news about the interest from Juventus and Premier League clubs have shown to me.’
Atalanta director Percassi has now weighed in and played down speculation that Koopmeiners could be on the move, denying the Dutchman’s suggestion that he had requested to be sold.
‘This club is solid and does not need to sell,’ he told L’Eco di Bergamo.
‘Koopmeiners has not been sold to Juventus, nor anyone else. In fact, he never asked us to be sold.’
Recent reports indicated that Atalanta could be prepared to do business with the likes of Liverpool or Juve should they receive an offer of around €50-60million (£43-51m) in the summer.
The former AZ Alkmaar midfielder has over three years remaining on his current contract in Bergamo, though, and it appears Atalanta are in no hurry to cash in on their prized possession.
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