‘Flattered’ - director addresses €40m midfielder’s future amid Liverpool transfer links

Atalanta director Tony D’Amico has acknowledged Liverpool’s interest in Teun Koopmeiners - but is keen on keeping the midfielder at the club.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have had issues in the middle of the park this season, which leaves them facing an uphill battle to finish in the Premier League top four.

That’s led to the Reds being linked with a move for Koopmeiners in the January transfer window. Football Italia reported that Atalanta have slapped a price tag of €40 million on the Holland international’s head. And with the Serie A outfit hoping to qualify for next season’s Champions League, D’Amico has insisted Koppmeiners won’t be departing this month.

He told Sky Sports Italia: “There is nothing, surely we are flattered by the interest because it means that we have strong players, but Koopmeiners is an Atalanta player and will remain so.”

Background

Koopmeiners joined Atalanta for €12 million in August 2021. This season, he’s been a key player and started 16 of their 17 Serie A fixtures - in which he’s recorded five goals and two assists. What’s more, Koopmeiners has been capped 15 times for Holland. He featured in every game at the 2022 World Cup as Louis van Gaal’s troops were eliminated by the winners Argentina on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool have so far signed Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in the January transfer window for an initial fee of £37 million. Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is the Reds’ No.1 midfield taret but he’s not expected to leave the Bundesliga club until the summer.