Atalanta Eyes Udinese's Kristensen, With West Ham's Todibo as Backup

Atalanta has identified Thomas Kristensen as their primary defensive reinforcement. In the event that a deal for the Danish center-back from Udinese proves unfeasible, Jean-Clair Todibo of West Ham is being considered as a secondary option.

According to reports from calciomercato.com, Cristiano Giuntoli is keen on securing Kristensen to strengthen Maurizio Sarri's defensive unit. However, Udinese has communicated that they will only consider parting ways with the player if presented with an exceptionally lucrative offer.

Atalanta is reportedly willing to bid in the range of €20-25 million. Udinese's technical director, Gökhan Inler, addressed the situation cautiously, confirming interest from other clubs but emphasizing Kristensen's current status. "He's our player; as long as he's here, he's an Udinese player," Inler stated.

Kristensen's role as captain for Udinese during their recent 1-0 victory against Barcelona in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup further underscored his importance to the team.

Kristensen Preferred Over Todibo in Atalanta's Defensive Overhaul

This potential acquisition is part of a broader defensive restructuring for Atalanta. The club needs to find a replacement for their veteran captain, Berat Djimsiti, who is set to move to Al-Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. Manager Maurizio Sarri is looking for a defender who can imprint his style on a backline that has seen leadership transitions over the years.

Kristensen, a towering 198cm defender, has long been admired by Giuntoli since his time at Juventus and is considered the preferred choice. The main hurdle in securing his signature is his transfer fee.

Should negotiations for Kristensen become too expensive, Atalanta might shift their attention to Todibo, who is expected to depart West Ham following their relegation from the Premier League. The challenges in acquiring Todibo include his substantial Premier League wages and competition from other clubs, notably Juventus. For the time being, however, Kristensen remains Atalanta's top defensive priority in Bergamo.