Luca Percassi, the chief of Atalanta, has dismissed speculation linking Teun Koopmeiners with Liverpool and Juventus and insists the midfielder has never requested to be sold.
Koopmeiners is having an outstanding season with Atalanta, scoring ten goals and assisting three times in Serie A, and has quickly become one of the most sought-after players in Italian football.
In the top five leagues in Europe, the 26-year-old belongs to an exclusive group of only two players who have scored over ten goals from midfield over the last two seasons, along with Manchester City sensation Phil Foden.
Juventus have shown strong interest in Koopmeiners, and his impressive performance at the Allianz Stadium before the international break, where he scored twice in a 2-2 draw, convinced the Turin giants that he was the real deal.
Liverpool has also been monitoring Koopmeiners for a while and could compete with Juve for the Netherlands international in the summer transfer window, as the club is looking to strengthen their midfield options for the 2024/25 season.
In an interview with De Telegraaf earlier this month, Koopmeiners fueled rumors of a potential move and stated that he had informed Atalanta of his desire to leave at the end of the season.
'Last year there was actual interest from Napoli. However, the two clubs ultimately did not reach an agreement. I informed Atalanta that I want to move during the upcoming summer,' Koopmeiners told the Dutch newspaper.
'But something really enticing must come up for me to leave Bergamo.
'My partner and I are enjoying our time in Italy, but for some English clubs, I could even tolerate the rainy days there.
'I hope opportunities arise so I can consider it.'
Koopmeiners, who has been capped 21 times by the Netherlands national team, expressed his wish that Atalanta would receive a 'good fee' from his future sale.
'I hope Atalanta receives a good fee for me because I have had a wonderful time in Bergamo,' he added.
'I would be dishonest if I said I didn't hear about the interest from Juventus and the attention shown to me by Premier League clubs.'
Atalanta director Percassi has now commented and played down the speculation that Koopmeiners could be leaving, denying the Dutchman's claim that he had asked to be sold.
'This club is stable and does not need to sell,' he told L'Eco di Bergamo.
'Koopmeiners has not been sold to Juventus, nor anyone else. In fact, he never asked us to be sold.'
Recent reports suggested that Atalanta could be willing to do business with clubs like Liverpool or Juve if they receive an offer of around €50-60 million (£43-51m) in the summer.
The former AZ Alkmaar midfielder still has over three years left on his current contract in Bergamo, and it seems Atalanta is not in a rush to cash in on their prized asset.
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