Juventus confirm Teun Koopmeiners’ big-money move from Atalanta
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Teun Koopmeiners (left) arrives in front of J Medical in Turin on Aug 28 for his medical examination to complete the transfer from Atalanta to Juventus.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
MILAN – Juventus have signed Netherlands midfielder Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta in a deal worth up to €60.7 million (S$88 million), the Italian Serie A giants confirmed on Aug 28.
In a statement, Juve said they had agreed with Atalanta a fee of “€51.3 million, payable in four financial years, with the addition of ancillary costs up to €3.4 million”.
The club will also pay Atalanta, “upon the achievement of further performance objectives”, another €6 million for Koopmeiners, who has signed a five-year contract worth a reported €4.5 million a season.
All those numbers aside, Juve are simply excited for the 26-year-old Dutch international’s new journey with them and optimistic about what he can bring to the team.
“Now Koopmeiners is ready for this exciting new adventure in black and white. Welcome to Juventus, Teun!” the statement on their official website added.
It is the biggest deal of the summer in Italy, beating the €51.5 million that Juve had earlier agreed to pay to bring Douglas Luiz to Turin from Aston Villa.
Koopmeiners’ arrival signals an end to the highest-profile saga of the Italian summer transfer window, with the midfielder pushing for a move away from Atalanta.
Atalanta dropped him from their squad for the first two games of the season, as one of the stars of May’s Europa League triumph reportedly handed in a doctor’s note for stress while the club initially resisted selling him to Juve.
But the two clubs eventually came to an agreement and Juve have another signing for new coach Thiago Motta as the “Old Lady” of Italian football undergoes a makeover.
Koopmeiners was one of the best players in Serie A last season, scoring 15 times in all competitions as Atalanta won their first major trophy since 1963.
Juve are currently top of the table after winning their first two matches against Como and Verona, and host struggling Roma on Sept 1.
Atalanta announced almost immediately afterwards the signing of Ivory Coast international Odilon Kossounou on loan from Bayer Leverkusen with an option to buy.
Italian media reported that they have agreed to pay German champions Leverkusen €5.5 million for the season-long loan and can make the move permanent for €25 million. AFP
