The Italian outfit have been priced out of a deal for the Chelsea forward and have now prioritised the signing of one of the key players of the Nigerian national team
Atalanta Bergamasco Calcio have made inquiries from Everton on the availability of Super Eagles playmaker Alex Iwobi.
The Black and Blues have been locked in negotiations with Chelsea for English-born striker of Nigerian descent Tammy Abraham.
But the Italian side could not reach a financial agreement with the European champions and have now turned their attentions to Nigerian international midfielder Iwobi, according to a Tuttomercatoweb report.
Iwobi is a seasoned Premier League performer who came through the ranks at London giants Arsenal, staying more than a decade with the Gunners before joining Everton for over €30 million in 2019.
The 25-year-old playmaker has scored 13 goals and provided 21 assists across 155 EPL matches for the Gunners and the Toffees.
Iwobi is yet to rediscover his best form for Everton, though, and a chance to feature for one of Serie A’s most exciting sides could lure the Super Eagles star to switch England for Italy.
Atalanta boast the Italian top-flight’s best attack last term after scoring 90 goals which helped them finish third behind champions Inter Milan and AC Milan and above fourth-place Juventus. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
However, signing Iwobi would not be a straightforward affair for Atalanta as the Nigerian midfielder must be willing to take a pay cut from his €3 million salary to make the deal feasible.
Iwobi’s contract with Everton will not expire until the summer of 2024.
