Man Utd fight Liverpool for £51m target amid suggestion Red Devils are in ‘preferential lane’
According to reports, Manchester United have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Netherlands international Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta.
Koopmeiners has been in stunning form for Atalanta this season as the versatile midfielder has scored ten Serie A goals this term.
“Devastating” signing
The 26-year-old already has one eye on a summer transfer as he recently confirmed that he will leave Atalanta before next season.
He told De Telegraaf: “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.”
Liverpool invested £200m to rebuild their midfield last summer but it has previously been reported that they are competing with Juventus for Koopmeiners.
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Journalist Dean Jones believes Koopmeiners’ proposed move to Liverpool is “gaining traction” and their “potential would be pretty devastating” if he’s added to the fold.
“Teun Koopmeiners would be an unbelievable addition to the Premier League. There is long-standing interest in him from Newcastle. While that evaporated, the club now really gaining traction with a move for him are Liverpool,” Jones told GiveMeSport.
“I do think there is a slot there at Liverpool that they might look towards filling and if they got Koopmeiners, their potential would be pretty devastating.
“The fact he is adding fuel to the fire now by talking about life in England definitely suggests he is becoming open to the move, and that might be in mind with the fact Atalanta have not quite kicked on at the top end of the table this season.”
Man Utd competition
But according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Man Utd are also interested in Koopmeiners and new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is refusing to ‘be a spectator’.
It is suggested that Man Utd feel they are in a ‘preferential lane’ to complete the signing after previously doing deals with Atalaanta to land Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo.
Another update from the same outlet claims a bid of €60m (£51m) is required for Atalanta to sanction Koopmeiners’ exit, while Juventus are said to have an ‘unexpected strategy’ to beat Premier League rivals to his signature.
Liverpool’s interest reportedly makes Juventus’s attempts ‘complicated’, but Atalanta’s interest in Dean Huijsen could see the Turin side ‘gain an advantage’ with a swap deal mooted.
