Juventus have confirmed that Atalanta BC midfielder Teun Koopmeiners has arrived in Turin for his medical and contract signing ahead of his £49.6m switch from the Europa League winners.
The Netherlands international's desire to leave Gian Piero Gasperini's side has been an open secret for a number of months ever since it emerged that he had handed in a transfer request in Bergamo.
The likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool were believed to have been put on red alert by Koopmeiners's availability, and a move to Anfield in particular was strongly mooted.
Koopmeiners worked with current Reds boss Arne Slot during his time at AZ Alkmaar, where he rose to prominence as a goalscoring midfielder and earned a marquee move to Atalanta in 2021.
The 26-year-old has continued to thrive in a more advanced midfield role but has also excelled in a deeper position, reportedly leading Liverpool to take a serious interest in signing him this summer.
Koopmeiners arrives at Juventus as Liverpool miss out on transfer
Look who's here, fans! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/jYNIQ0BX0L
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 28, 2024
The Merseyside giants have been searching for a new defensive midfielder this summer, but they ultimately chose to prioritise a deal for Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, who rejected the Reds in favour of staying in Spain.
Liverpool's unsuccessful pursuit of Zubimendi allowed Juventus to work on a deal for Koopmeiners unchallenged, and the Bianconeri reportedly agreed a fee of €52m (£43.8m) potentially rising to €59m (£49.7m) with add-ons on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Juventus confirmed that Koopmeiners's official announcement was imminent by posting a video of the midfielder arriving in Turin for his medical and contract signing.
Koopmeiners was in good spirits as he made acquaintances with some of the Juve staff at their headquarters, and he is expected to put pen to a five-year deal later in the day, having had his heart set on joining Thiago Motta's side.
Koopmeiners will depart Atalanta with a record of 29 goals and 15 assists from 129 matches across all competitions, but he was frozen out of Gasperini's squad for the 2024-25 season after voicing his desire to leave.
Will Liverpool sign a new midfielder before transfer deadline?
© Imago
With Zubimendi unable to sever his ties with Real Sociedad and Koopmeiners snubbing a reunion with Slot, Liverpool's options for a new number six are increasing limited ahead of the August 30 deadline.
The Reds are also expected to offload Tyler Morton and Stefan Bajcetic in the next couple of days - the former leaving permanently - while Wataru Endo has also been linked with a swift departure.
However, after Liverpool apparently turned down bids from Marseille for the Japan international, Slot affirmed that Endo was part of his plans for the 2024-25 season and will likely serve as Ryan Gravenberch's backup.
As a result, Liverpool should end the transfer window without adding to their midfield ranks, as Alexis Mac Allister can also operate in a deep-lying role if necessary, allowing Curtis Jones or Harvey Elliott to come into the XI in a more advanced role.
Instead, the Reds are working to close a cut-price deal for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa, having already confirmed that Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will join in 2025.
Ben Knapton
