Atalanta and Netherlands star Teun Koopmeiners has admitted it is "nice" to be linked with a move to Liverpool.
The Reds are being linked with a host of midfielders during the January transfer window with main target Jude Bellingham seemingly made unavailable by Borussia Dortmund until the summer at least.
One of the names supposedly in the frame is Koopmeiners, who is a key player for Atalanta and a team-mate of Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo for the Netherlands.
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The 24-year-old was part of the Dutch squad at the recent World Cup in Qatar and it was his brilliantly inventive free kick that led to Manchester United-target Wout Weghorst's dramatic equaliser in their thrilling quarter-final clash with eventual winners Argentina.
Koopmeiners is now back playing with Atalanta and he scored a stunning goal - his fifth of the season - in their 2-1 triumph at Bologna in Serie A on Monday night.
And before that game journalist Fabrizio Romano posted quotes from Koopmeiners regarding the speculation over Liverpool.
The player said: "I saw the links and stories about Liverpool — nice to see that but I’m 100% focused on Atalanta, I’m so happy to play here."
In his tweet, Romano then added that "Atalanta have received no approach or bid from Liverpool for Koopmeiners as of now."
Koopmeiners has made 60 appearances for the Italian side, scoring nine goals, since making a €12m move from AZ in the summer of 2021.
It is clear that Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini does not want to lose one of the key components of his Champions League-chasing side. "Koopmeiners won't move in January,” Gasperini was quoted saying by Tutto Atalanta.
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