AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 22: Teun Koopmeiners of Holland during the International Friendly ... [+]
It probably wasn’t the words that Atalanta wanted to hear ion the middle of the latest international break and with the season entering the business end. La Dea are in the quarter final of the Europa League, where they’ll face Liverpool in two very tough games. Moreover, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are in the semi final of the Coppa Italia and are also slugging it out with Roma, Bologna and Napoli for the fourth and — likely — fifth Champions League spot, with Atalanta currently sixth in the Serie A table.
What were these words exactly? It was midfield general Teun Koopmeiners publicly declaring to a Dutch newspaper that the time has come to leave the club.
“I told Atalanta that next summer I want to leave,” said the midfielder in his interview with The Telegraaf. “Already last year there was a concrete interest from Napoli but in the end, the clubs couldn’t find an agreement.
“My girlfriend and I love life in Italy, but for some clubs in England, I’d be willing to tolerate the rain! I hope that options arise that I can reflect on. And I also hope that Atalanta receives a good sum, because I had a wonderful time in Bergamo.”
Koopmeiners had been linked with a move away from Atalanta for months, with recent speculation around a move to Juventus intensifying, however publicly stating the desire to leave does little for Atalanta, with teams now having the upper hand in negotiations with the club this summer. According to various reports, Atalanta value the 26-year-old in the region of $64 million (€60 million), and despite a contract that doesn’t expire for a further three years, his public declaration has likely knocked millions off his valuation.
Koopmeiners won’t be short of suitors. Signed from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2021, the Dutchman has morphed into one of the best midfielders in Serie A, and has arguably become the standout player in this version of Gasperini’s Atalanta. The heady days of Luis Muriel, Josip Ilicic, Papu Gomez and Duvan Zapata ripping through opponents are now sadly in the rear-view mirror, and Gasperini has moulded a new side with Koopmeiners at the center.
Capable of playing in a multitude of roles within midfield, either a number six deeper in midfield, a number eight going box-to-box or as a number 10 playing just behind a central striker, Koopmeiner’s versatility is one of his biggest strengths.
Now in his third season at Atalanta, Koopmeiners has hit double figures for the second consecutive year, with 12 goals in all competitions. With two months of the season left to go, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he reached near the 20-goal mark, incredible for a midfielder not playing for one of the bigger sides in Italy.
Possessing a devastating left-foot and comfortable with the ball, Koopmeiners is the sort of player Juventus currently lack. At just 26, Koopmeiners is still young, but also not too old, and would give Juve the kind of experience their midfield — bar Adrien Rabiot — is lacking. His two goals against Juve in the recent 2-2 draw at the Allianz Stadium was also another feather in the Dutchman’s cap.
His profile is in keeping with the new Juventus model of buying players young and either developing them to sell later on, or buying players in the mid-20s, a vast departure from the old modus operandi of valuing experience over youth. Gone are the days when the club shelled out over $100 million on a 33-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in the hope of finally winning the Champions League.
Koopmeiners has been identified as one of the Bianconeri’s targets for the summer as the club will most likely feature in the Champions League again next season, yet there will also be interest from many Premier
With Atalanta in the thick of things in three competitions as we enter the serious end of the season, Koopmeiners’ words will hardly endear him to the club and the fanbase, but if he plays a huge role in Gasperini finally delivering a trophy to those same success-starved supporters, then his recent admission may be forgotten, and he can leave on a positive note.
But one thing is certain, Koopmeiners has a great future ahead of him.
