LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – EVENT 25: Alejandro Gomez of Atalanta during the UEFA Champions League Group … [+]
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Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez is one of the most popular men in European football ahead of the January transfer window, which is set to open on January 4th.
The 32-year-old Atalanta captain is set to leave Bergamaschi after his relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is remembered beyond his repair, Italian daily Tuttosport reports.
The Argentinian international is expected to leave in January after seven seasons, as he has been suddenly frozen out of the squad in the last three Serie A games.
But how did the top player finish the most impressive side of the UEFA Champions League last on the transfer list?
Atalanta footballer Alejandro Gomez celebrates after scoring the goal during the game … [+]
Mondadori folder through Getty Images
In the past few weeks, the body of a dressing room between Gomez and Gasperini – which dates back to Dec. 1 – has been in the public domain.
At half-time of the Champions League match between Atalanta and danish side FC Midtjylland, coach Gasperini asked Gomez to move from a playmaker position to right-back, to come back from 1-0 down.
But as the Argentine refused to change position, he was replaced by an angry Gasperini.
La Gazzetta dello Sport daily Sport says the fight in the dressing room was “just verbal”, which is why Gomez ‘s time at the Gewiss Stadium is “definitely over”.
Atalanta Italian head coach Gian Piero Gasperini (L), with Argentinian midfielder Papu Gomez … [+]
AFP through Getty Images
The decision seems certain, as Gomez took to Instagram to send a farewell message to the fans.
“Fans, I am writing to you here because I have no other way to defend myself or talk to you.”
“I just want to let you know that when I leave, you will know the truth about everything. You know me well; you know who I am. I love you, captain ”.
Despite the efforts of Atalanta president Antonio Percassi to try to resolve the situation by persuading both parties to bury the hide, Gasperini and Gomez did not appear to have worked. -mach.
When Atalanta returned to training after the Christmas holidays on Thursday 29, Alejandro Gomez did the entire training session on his own.
According to Sky Sports Italy, the number 10 did not work with the rest of its players and has just been excluded from the group.
The news comes as a shock to both Gomez and Atalanta, the club named after a mythical Greek hunter.
BERGAMO, ISLAND – EVENT 03: (SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Trent Alexander-Arnold à Liverpool … [+]
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Atalanta – nickname “The Good”(Italian for ‘goddess’) – they hoped to turn Gomez into a one-club player and end his professional career in Bergamo, where he was awarded citizen status in December 2019 Bergamo honored “for his importance to Bergamo in Europe gained a reputation as a professional, and rejected other offers to pledge the cause of Atalanta”.
The ‘Papu’ arrived on the Bergamo side in 2014 from the Ukrainian Metalist Kharkiv outfit and quickly grew to become one of the top players in Serie A, ruling “The Good”For the first time in their history to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
Appearing in over 250 matches for Atalanta, Gomez scored 59 goals in total and 71 assists in 252 captains across all competitions.
A peace story with a bitter ending for Gomez, who is ready to walk away for a asking price of around $ 18.5 million, as his contract expires just in June 2022.
A number of big clubs appear to be willing to take advantage of Atalanta ‘s less favorable position, with French side PSG, AC Milan, and Lazio questioning his availability.
However, MLS club FC Cincinnati are the latest to report a bid for ‘Papu’ Gomez, proposing a three-year contract.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Gerard Nijkamp, FC Cincinnati’s director of sports operations, began working hard to hire Gomez for coach Jaap Stam, in a move that could come as a surprise.
It remains to be seen whether Gomez will even consider moving to the United States, as other elements may reverse his decision.
According to Goal.com, Gomez wants to live close to his family home in Bergamo so they would not consider moving to AC Milan or FC Inter, both based in Milan, just a few kilometers away.
For that reason, an Argentine midfielder who was attacked in December apparently turned down a $ 12 million offer from United Arab Emirates Al-Nasr SC, Sky Sports Italy.
This is why FC Inter is the most likely remaining destination for ‘Papu’.
According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Gomez was already accepting FC Inter’s $ 3 million quarterly offer until June 2023.
It is now up to both clubs to end the contract, with the Nerazzurri offering top defender Andrea Ranocchia and defensive midfielder Roberto Gagliardini as a loan exchange deal in a bid to lower the price tag.
Will Gomez accept FC Inter ‘s offer or will he challenge the MLS?