Atalanta have completed the signing of left-back Mitchell Bakker from Bayer Leverkusen, as revealed by the club’s official website.
Only a few days after acquiring the services of Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer, La Dea have brought in another left-handed defender to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini’s roster.
Unlike the Bosnian, whose contract at Olympique Marseille ran out at the end of last season, the Italians have paid an undisclosed fee to lure the 22-year-old away from the BayArena.
Bakker left Paris Saint-Germain, where he won five major titles, including the Ligue 1 crown in 2019/20, back in 2021 to team up with Die Werkself after losing his place at the Parc des Princes.
During his relatively brief Bundesliga experience, the Dutchman accrued 70 appearances for Xabi Alonso’s side, managing five goals and seven assists while featuring for the club in multiple European competitions.
His move to Atalanta should help Gasperini address his long-standing pursuit of a quality left-back following Robin Gosens’ move to Inter Milan in January 2022.
Despite representing the Netherlands at almost every youth level, the Ajax academy graduate has yet to make a first-team debut for the Oranje.
Maybe the defender’s new adventure at Atalanta could increase the likelihood of his introduction into Ronald Koeman’s team, given the Italians’ tradition of developing young talents into senior stars.
Bakker will join his fellow countrymen Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners at the Gewiss Stadium following a decent two-year stint at Leverkusen.
It’s still uncertain whether he’d have a chance to play with Koopmeiners, who has recently drawn interest from Brighton & Hove Albion amid Moises Caicedo’s rumoured switch to Chelsea.
The Dutch midfielder was nothing short of outstanding for Atalanta last season, and the Bergamo outfit may be unable to secure his stay beyond the summer, with several Serie A clubs also credited with an interest.
After signing Bakker, La Dea could pull off another massive deal as they’ve opened discussions with Manchester United over Mason Greenwood’s potential arrival on loan.
