Chelsea line up Liverpool slayer as Gallagher replacement

Chelsea are ‘lining up a move’ for Teun Koopmeiners, according to Italian media.

The Atalanta star has enjoyed a spectacular season on a personal level. With 13 goals and four assists, the midfielder has become one of the most productive players in his position in Europe and this has, naturally, attracted the attention of bigger clubs.

Speculation surrounding the Dutchman’s future has been rampant in recent months and the fire has only been fuelled by the player himself. Koopmeiners has admitted that he wants to leave Bergamo, revealing that he has already handed in a transfer request for the summer.

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“I have indicated to Atalanta that I want to make a move next summer,” Koopmeiners recently said. “But there must be something very nice to exchange for that for Atalanta. My girlfriend and I are having a great time in Italy, but I can endure the rain for some clubs in England. I hope there will be great options that I can think about.”

Now, Chelsea have joined the race and they are serious about the midfielder.

Chelsea ‘make a move’

At least that’s according to SportMediaSet, which claims that Blues scouts were in attendance at Anfield last week to watch the 26-year-old impress against Liverpool in the Europe League. The Reds were dealt a crushing 3-0 defeat, with Koopmeiners running the show in midfield.

Ironically, Liverpool are the Premier League club who have been most prominently linked with the Dutchman, holding an interest in him for the best part of three years. Now, it is claimed that Chelsea are lining up a move for him, and it would make sense.

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Though the Blues have a wealth of midfield options at the club, there will be some significant upheaval in that department this summer. Conor Gallagher has been earmarked as a candidate to get sold in a bid to raise ‘pure profit,’ which will help the free-spending London giants balance the books.

Koopmeiners, who is an all-action midfielder capable of operating both in an offensive and more withdrawn role, appears to be an ideal replacement. The Dutchman profiles similarly to Gallagher this season and has put up better numbers than the Chelsea homegrown.

On paper, it would be a shrewd move, but given that he will likely command a similar fee to the one the Blues hope to raise from Gallagher’s departure, it wouldn’t leave them much financial wiggle room.