Manchester United and Liverpool have received a significant boost in their efforts to sign Atalanta BC midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, who has asked to leave the Italian side.
The Netherlands international was a product of the AZ Alkmaar youth academy before joining Atalanta for a modest €14m (£12m) in 2021, since when he has appeared 112 times for La Dea.
Initially starting out as a defensive midfielder, Koopmeiners has now enjoyed a successful transition into a number 10 position and has come up with 26 goals and 12 assists in 112 games for Atalanta in all tournaments.
A productive 2023-24 campaign has seen the 26-year-old increase his goal threat with 12 strikes and four assists in 34 games, helping Atalanta reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League and semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.
Gian Piero Gasperini's men will square off with Liverpool in the quarter-finals of Europe's secondary competition, and the Reds are thought to be one of a couple of sides looking to strike a deal for Koopmeiners.
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Man United and Juventus have also been tipped to make a swoop, and all three sides have now received encouragement in their pursuit of Koopmeiners, who has confirmed his desire to seek out a new adventure this summer.
"I told the club that in the summer I would like to leave," Koopmeiners told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"But to leave Bergamo a really interesting offer must arrive, because I hope that Atalanta will earn a good sum from my transfer. I hope I have some options to think about."
The midfielder's transfer request is expected to put Man United, Liverpool and other clubs in England on red alert, and he has even joked that he would tolerate the wet weather to fulfil his dream of playing in the Premier League.
"For some Premier League clubs I would even tolerate the rain in England," the Dutchman added. "I spent a wonderful time in Bergamo, my girlfriend and I are having a lot of fun."
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Liverpool are expected to lose Thiago Alcantara on a free transfer when the Spaniard's contract expires at the end of the season, while Man United could be waving goodbye to a handful of midfielders in the coming months.
Donny van de Beek and Fiorentina loanee Sofyan Amrabat are expected to be on their way out, while uncertainty also lingers over the future of Casemiro, who is thought to be a Saudi Pro League target.
However, Juventus are also on the hunt for a new lynchpin to replace Paul Pogba, who was recently banned for four years for doping, and Koopmeiners is not in the dark about the Old Lady's interest, adding: "If I said that I didn't get this news I would be lying, I read it too."
The Dutchman - whose contract with Atalanta runs until 2027 - also revealed that reigning champions Napoli were in talks to sign him last summer, but the two clubs could not strike an agreement.
Koopmeiners is currently with the Netherlands squad preparing for their upcoming friendlies with Scotland and Germany on Friday and Tuesday respectively.
Ben Knapton
