Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini is waiting for Celtic’s Matt O’Riley ‘with open arms’ and determined to sign him this summer.
That’s according to Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the Italian club are working to close the distance between themselves and Celtic on a potential deal for the midfielder.
The newspaper explains that Atalanta continue to monitor various names on the market at this moment in time, but it is O’Riley who they are particularly keen on.
They believe the Celtic star has all the characteristics that they would want and fits their idea of targeting younger players to develop for the future.
He’s seen as a perfect all-rounder and there is a belief from everyone in charge at the club that he can raise the ‘qualitative and quantitative’ level of the squad.
They like him so much that they’ve made him a target regardless of whether they sell Teun Koopmeiners this summer and negotiations have long been open with Celtic over him.
Atalanta are not in a hurry to get a deal over the line even if manager Gasperini would love to have him now rather than later but there is a confidence they are ahead of any potential competition.
That’s because the Celtic man has expressed an interest, indeed a preference, to join Atalanta ahead of anyone else.
The biggest obstacle remains his price tag, which Celtic have set at €26m plus €3m in bonuses. They won’t go beneath €25m in total should they be talked down.
Atalanta’s latest offer was €18m plus €3m in bonuses so there is a considerable difference between the two parties and Brendan Rodgers recent public comments insisting nobody will go in deals beneath their value was seen as a signal to Atalanta.
The two clubs are destined to get closer to each other at some point and in the meantime, Atalanta are talking to O’Riley’s agents to ensure they are prepared on that front if and or when an agreement with Celtic is struck.
