Newcastle United were credited with interest in Mitchel Bakker in the last three windows. In May 2022, Bild reported the Magpies were flirting with the 23-year-old and wanted to make another attempt after they failed to sign him earlier that year.
The reports linking the fullback to Newcastle continued in 2023 but they weren’t able to find an agreement for the transfer.
Back in July, Atalanta signed the defender but the move hasn’t gone well for him as he’s been restricted to 26 minutes of action from three games this season.
It’s claimed the ‘feeling never blossomed’ between the left-back and Gian Piero Gasperini, so much so that the Italian club even considered selling him just after buying him in the summer.
Bakker was left out of the squad for Atalanta’s 2-0 win over Cagliari at the weekend and TMW say the club cited ‘technical choice’ as the reason for his omission.
The Italian club now have a problem on their hands, with Bakker thought to have fallen out with his manager already and not doing much to dispel previous fears about an attitude problem.
A bullet dodged for Newcastle United.
