Liverpool have now made contact with the representatives of Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, according to Tutto Atalanta.
Their report claims the Reds are ‘back in force’ for the 24-year-old, having re-established contact with his agents.
However, they suggest the Serie A club don’t intend to let go of the Netherlands international.
Additionally, Corriere della Sera state that the defensive midfielder is very much liked by Jurgen Klopp, but Gian Piero Gasperin’s side are not willing to sell the player in January.
Alternatively, a previous report from Gazzetto Dello Sport (via Football Italia) claims that the Merseyside outfit will have to pay £35m to sign the Dutchman this month.
Koopmeiners could be Wijnaldum’s replacement
Back when Gini Wijnaldum left the club in 2021, Koopmeiners was actually linked with a move to Anfield then. The midfielder would have come in as the 32-year-old’s direct replacement – a vacancy the club have still failed to fill.
The Atalanta midfielder would have been an excellent addition to Liverpool’s squad, as he also has the ability to fill in at centre-back when needed.
Having played for the Netherlands in each of their matches at the Qatar World Cup, the 24-year-old is clearly highly regarded.
Both Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo are familiar with him from their time with the national team, so it would be an easy transition for the player to make.
Therefore, if the Reds can’t afford to bring in a more expensive midfielder this month, Koopmeiners could be a solid budget option – with his reported £35m transfer fee.
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