'Best season so far' - Liverpool warned about Atalanta's £51m-linked star ahead of Europa League tie

Italian journalist Nima Tavallaey has singled out Teun Koopmeiners and Gianlucca Scamacca as two Atalanta players who could hurt Liverpool in their Europa League tie at Anfield. The quarter-final first leg takes place at Anfield and will pit the sixth-place Serie A side against Jurgen Klopp’s men after they overcame a tricky tie against Sporting Lisbon. In contrast, Liverpool eased their way to a 11-2 aggregate victory over Sparta Prague but this tie will surely prove to be a vastly different outcome.

LiverpoolWorld spoke exclusively to Italian football journalist and pundit Tavallaey - co-host of the Italian Football Podcast - to gain some vital insight on who the danger men are for Liverpool ahead of their tie with Atalanta.

Teun Koopmeiners

Koopmeiners, 26, has been in great form in Italy with 13 goals and four assists from central midfield and his energy, experience and clinical nature will certainly pose a threat, according to the pundit. “He’s been very good!” He began. “He’s had probably his best season at the club not just in terms of goals and assists but he has really taken strides now for a couple of seasons and he continuously keeps on improving.”

Previous reports have claimed he would cost somewhere in the region of £43-51m and he even spoke out earlier this year about the links to Liverpool and potentially moving to England. He revealed to the De Telegraaf: "I told Atalanta that next summer I want to leave. For some clubs in England, I'd be willing to tolerate the rain! I also hope that Atalanta receives a good sum, because I had a wonderful time in Bergamo."

Gianlucca Scamacca

The former West Ham and Sassuolo forward Scamacca currently has 11 goals and three assists in all competitions for the Italian side but he only managed to show glimpses of his true ability during his sole season in England. However, Tavallaey warned Liverpool that he is capable of hurting any side.

“Scamacca is the type of player, and striker, that can create something out of nothing and does, when there’s not a dangerous chance he can score from any angle, he’s a very unique player in that sense. These comparisons in Italy that people draw to Zlatan Ibrahimovic between the two - of course Ibra was one of the best in the world at 25 and Scamacca is not even close - but the characteristics of big, tall, lanky striker who is technically strong and can create something out of nothing means, if he starts, he will be very important for Atalanta and Liverpool need to watch out.”

Outside of that duo, he listed the likes of Adeola Lookman, Charles de Ketelaere and Brazilian midfielder Ederson who has also been linked with a move to Merseyside this year. Stopping the likes of Koopmeiners and Scamacca from affecting the game will certainly increase their chances of taking a strong lead into the second leg next week.