Percassi: Atalanta want Tonali, Zapata...

By Football Italia staff

Atalanta President Antonio Percassi has revealed that his club want Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali, while Duvan Zapata is worth €50-60m.

Atalanta are preparing for their first-ever Champions League campaign, and Percassi explained his club’s approach to the transfer market.

“We need a couple of experienced players, others with potential,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“An example: we like Tonali, but there’s a queue of clubs waiting to sign him. Ajax have to be emulated for the bravery they showed to throw in young lads without any problems: they don’t look at age. In that respect, they’re formidable.

“I hope none of Ilicic, Gomez and Zapata leave, but the biggest offer could come in for Zapata: he said he’ll stay, but then the agents do their jobs.

“Like De Laurentiis, who talks about [Roberto] Inglese on his terms... yet in the meantime, he’s raising the value of Duvan.

“I wouldn’t sell him for €40m. We’re thinking about an offer between €50m and €60m: maybe we couldn’t say no that.

“Before that, I have to give Gasperini an alternative: you have to be prepared and always with your accounts in order. Now that we’re in the Champions League, that rings even more true.

“We can’t go beyond certain limits, neither can we afford to lose certain balances: if you let it all get to your head, you cause harm to the club.

“Our season-ticket revenue isn’t even worth the gate receipts of Inter and Milan for just one game: we can’t compete with them. We pay our players in line with results.”

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