According to reports from Italy, an offer has been submitted for a player who’s been strongly linked with Liverpool in recent weeks.
Calciomercato have claimed that a bid of €45m (£38.3m) including add-ons has been tabled by Juventus for Teun Koopmeiners, with the Bianconeri determined to fend off the competition for the Atalanta playmaker.
However, the Europa League winners are expected to stick rigidly to their stance that the 26-year-old is worth at least €60m (£51m), which leaves the Turin club needing to bridge a substantial gap from their opening offer.
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Juve’s apparent low-balling could give Liverpool an opportunity to pounce for Koopmeiners, with clubs at the upper end of the Premier League boasting far greater financial muscle in comparison to their Serie A counterparts.
The Bianconeri would have to come up 33% to meet Atalanta’s reported valuation of the Dutchman, who played under the Reds’ new head coach Arne Slot at AZ Alkmaar earlier in his career.
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LFC may have the funds to sign one top-quality number 10 this summer, but amid ongoing links with £60m-rated Georgiy Sudakov of Shakhtar Donetsk, there may come a point where FSG need to choose one or the other, unless either of those reported transfer targets drops out of contention in the meantime.
The Bergamo club are renowned for being fiendishly stubborn negotiators, so if Liverpool truly aspire to bring Koopmeiners to Anfield, they must avoid Juve’s mistake of going in too low and make it crystal clear to their Europa League conquerors that they’re willing to spend big to get their man.
Over to Michael Edwards and co to make what could be one of the standout decisions of the summer transfer window…