Italy international only wants AC Milan move, says agent
The agent of Atalanta defender Andrea Conti has revealed his client’s time at the club is over and he wants to join AC Milan this summer.
Milan have been heavily linked with a move for the versatile full-back this summer as their summer spending looks set to stretch beyond the €100m mark.
Vincenzo Montella’s side have already made four big signings and are determined to add Italian duo Andrea Belotti and Conti to the mix, which has been given greater encouragement following the word’s of Conti’s agent.
“Conti’s time at Atalanta is over and after a few diatribes, we cleared the air,” his agent, Mario Giuffredi, told Tuttomercatoweb, via Football Italia.
“Albeit grateful to the club for what it has given him, Atalanta are no longer in his mind. He only wants Milan and that’s how it should be.
“Milan are the dream of every player and nobody can clip his wings. It’s also only right that Atalanta do their work and we do ours. I want a collaborative spirit with Atalanta and Milan to find a solution that makes everyone happy, but I will not accept a coach taking a player off the market when he can make his dream come true.
“Gaspierini cannot stop a player from achieving what he’s always wanted. It wouldn’t be fair to put a veto on his transfer. I’d be curious to see what Gasperini wouldn’t done if offered 10 times his current wages. Would he really have stayed out of love for Atalanta?
“Everyone works to improve and grow, professionally and economically. In football we must be realistic, not hypocritical.”
The 23-year-old came through the Atalanta academy before yo-yoing between clubs and ending up back at his boyhood club on a permanent basis in 2015. He still has four years remaining on his existing deal but his reputation enhanced significantly last season after playing a key part in Atalanta’s surprise campaign.
Conti, who can play in both wing-back positions in a back five, scored eight goals and registered five assists in 33 appearances for Atalanta last season. In fact, only Alejandro Gomez (26) played a direct hand in more league goals for Atalanta last season.
For more stats on Andrea Conti, click here to visit his WhoScored player page