LFC TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: Another two Liverpool transfer options evaporate as Atalanta line up record move for Koopmeiners replacement

Atalanta’s interest in Matt O’Riley has reportedly firmed up considerably with the Serie A side ready to sign the Celtic star as a replacement for long-term Liverpool target, Teun Koopmeiners.

Koopmeiners departure has been on the cards for some time with the Dutch midfielder already telling the club that he was keen to move on with Juventus and Liverpool linked to the Gli Orobici star.

The playmaker is said to prefer a move to Turin over Merseyside but either way it seems that Atalanta will need to secure his replacement sooner rather than later.

And while Liverpool were strongly linked with a move for the Dutchman – a player Arne Slot knows well – they never actually firmed up their interest, instead opting to pursue a deal for Martin Zubimendi instead – a move which also failed to get over the line for the Reds.

Instead, Koopmeiners is now on the cusp of a move to Juventus, with talks progressing over a deal which is likely to fetch in the region of €60m (£51.3m).

Now that Koopmeiners is all set to leave Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad in Bergamo, reports out of Italy suggest Atalanta will increase their offer to Celtic who would prefer to keep the promising midfielder at Celtic Park but could be swayed by a new Scottish record fee for O’Riley.

Koopmeiners delivered a terrific showing in the Europa League when the Italian team eliminated Liverpool last season.
He prospered during the 2023-24 season, generating 22 goal involvements in 51 appearances across all competitions, which drew the attention of numerous European teams.

Koopmeiners is said to enjoy the lifestyle in Italy and would prefer the move to Juventus over a potential shift to Liverpool, however, the Turin-based side will need to ramp up their pursuit with the transfer deadline approaching.