Serie A outfit Bologna have ruled themselves out of the race to sign Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovskyi in a boost to Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of luring the Ukraine international to the Premier League, via Radio Nettuno Bologna Uno.
Malinovksyi, in just eight months’ time, will be a free agent. His contract at Atalanta expires in July.
And with Gian Piero Gasperini’s perennial overachievers in the midst of an overhaul (Duvan Zapata and Luis Muriel are expected to follow Robin Gosens and Remo Freuler out the door), January represents Atalanta’s final chance to secure a return on their investment.
Malinovskyi, Gazzetta dello Sport say, will be available for a knock-down fee of £15 million in the winter. Tottenham manager Antonio Conte held face-to-face talks with the former Genk ace last summer. Only for Spurs to walk away due to Atalanta’s prohibitive £43 million price-tag.
With Malinovksyi now available for around a third of that fee, confidence is growing that the 29-year-old attacking midfielder will soon be reuniting with former La Dea team-mate Cristian Romero in North London.
Bologna leave Tottenham Hotspur free to do Ruslan Malinovskyi deal
Malinovskyi reportedly has his heart set on Spurs. That is despite interest from West Ham, Marseille and a Nottingham Forest side who failed with an ambitious £12 million bid a few months ago.
Bologna has been mooted as another potential destination. But, according to Rossoblu director Marco di Vaio, Malinovskyi remains well out of their price-range. Even as he enters the final few months of his contract.
“No, the numbers are impossible for us,” explains Di Vaio. “Both economically and technically. I think he will remain in that circle of clubs that play in Europe.
“Today, we are able to bring in unknown players, to make them grow. Now, it is a question of raising our level to be able to afford (players like) Malinovskyi in the future.”
‘Extraordinary’
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Conte and Fabio Paratici are in agreement about the merits of a winter deal for a stylish, left-footed attacking midfielder. One who, in the last four seasons, has 45 goals and 42 assists to his name.
”(Malinovskyi) has been extraordinary for us,” Gasperini tells The Standard, explaining why Atalanta are ready to move on from a man who has played a key role in the club’s evolution from mid-table also-rans into Champions League regulars.
“He has been great at adapting, he has done some very good things. But it’s right for Atalanta to look for a player who scores more goals. It’s right that, in the (transfer) market, the club looks for players with characteristics more suitable for the game.”
Malinovskyi has started just five of Atalanta’s 15 Serie A matches this season. The Bergamo-based outfit went into the World Cup break sixth in the table. After a superb start, they have lost each of their last three league games.
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