Liverpool blow as transfer target ‘promises himself’ to Euro giants despite Anfield ‘approval’
According to reports, Liverpool targeted Teun Koopmeiners has rejected a move to the Premier League giants as he wants to join Serie A giants Juventus.
Liverpool spent around £200m last summer to rebuild their midfield as they brought in Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch.
FSG want another midfielder?
Despite this, Liverpool are still being linked with midfielders ahead of this summer’s transfer window and Koopmeiners has emerged as a potential target.
The Netherlands international joined Atalanta for around £10m from AZ Alkmaar in 2021. He has been in stunning form this season as he has 12 goals and four assists in his 34 appearances across all competitions.
The 26-year-old’s recent form is fuelling talk linking him with a move away from Atalanta ahead of the summer. Recent reports in Italy have claimed Liverpool have ‘already expressed their approval’ of Koopmeiners but they are facing competition from Juventus.
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In a recent interview with De Telegraaf, Koopmeiners revealed that he’s already informed Atalanta he wants to leave in the summer.
He said: “I have told Atalanta that I want to make a move next summer, but there has to be something really nice to swap that for Atalanta just like that. My girlfriend and I are having a great time in Italy, but for some clubs in England, I’ll put up with the rain.
“I hope there will be nice options I can think about, and then I hope Atalanta receive a nice amount for me, because I will have had a wonderful time there.”
Juventus ‘promise’
According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Juventus are Koopmeiners’ most likely destination as the versatile midfielder has ‘promised himself’ to the Serie A giants.
The report claims: “Even without any disagreements, also in order not to put a club that he adores and that has valorised him into difficulty, Koopmeiners would therefore have taken very concrete steps in the direction of Continassa […] the idea of linking himself to Juventus attracts him in a visceral way.
“The midfielder in Turin would not feel like a great among the greats, as in Liverpool, but the jewel around which an ambitious project would be born in Italy and Europe – we read – in the light of these feelings, Koop would therefore have given his agent Bart Baving an unofficial mandate to deal with the Juventus managers.”
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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano does not go as far as Corriere dello Sport with his comments, but he concedes that Juventus are the “favourites to sign Koopmeiners”.
“Juventus are the favourites to sign Teun Koopmeiners as he has been their top target for a long time, they want him and the relationship with Atalanta is very good,” Romano told Caught Offside.
“Liverpool have been scouting him but again, a lot will depend on the decision on who will replace Jurgen Klopp as manager – it’s too early to mention Liverpool’s plans without a decision on the manager.
“There’s also been some talk of Juventus, as well as AC Milan, being interested in Sofyan Amrabat this summer, but nothing has been prepared, nothing is concrete or imminent. This is one for June/July, it’s all quiet with Juventus and Milan despite links.
“The first step will be to receive a message from Man United on the future and then Amrabat will decide in the summer his next step. It is possible that United will decide not to keep Amrabat, but nothing has been formally communicated yet.”
