Atalanta BC sign defender Matteo Lovato from Hellas Verona (OFFICIAL)

Atalanta BC sign defender Matteo Lovato from Hellas Verona (OFFICIAL)

Atalanta BC sign defender Matteo Lovato from Hellas Verona

Atalanta BC have confirmed the completion of the signing of Italian U-21 international Matteo Lovato from Serie A compatriots Hellas Verona.

The Italian defender has put pen to paper on a four year contract with the Bergamo based club, with an option to extend for another year which would see Lovato remain at the Gewiss Stadium until 2026.

Defender Matteo Lovato is the third player to join Atalanta in this summer window

Lovato in action in his first match for Atalanta

Atalanta have reached an agreement with Hellas Verona to sign the Italian centre back for a total transfer fee of €11 million, with Verona receiving a guaranteed payment of €8 million now with an additional €3 million in added bonuses.

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Padova and Genoa will be sharing 15% of the transfer fee between themselves owing to their previous sale agreements for Lovato. Lovato is Atalanta’s third signing this season after Giuseppe Pezzella and Goalkeeper Juan Musso.

Lovato graduated from the Padova academy, making his debut for the senior side in 2019 in Serie C, the third division of Italian football. Lovato’s impressive displays caught the eye of Hellas Verona who bought him in the January 2020, where he made his Serie A debut on 18 July 2020 as he entered the final minutes of the match against Atalanta. At the same time, Lovato also earned his first-ever call-up to the U21 Italian national squad.

In his breakthrough season with Verona, Lovato made full use of the void left by Marash Kumbulla, who had moved to AS Roma on loan at the start of the 2020/21 season. The young and talented defender established himself as a regular in the first team in no time, making 24 appearances for for the Scala club last season, as Verona finished 10th in Serie A.

Matteo Lovato arrives as a potential replacement for Argentine defender Cristian Romero, who has his place at Atalanta in doubt, with Tottenham Hotspur keen to add the central defender to their ranks with things looking more likely for Romero to join the Premier League.

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