Atalanta target Udinese’s Kristensen with West Ham’s Todibo the alternative

Atalanta are keen to bolster their defense with the signing of Udinese centre-back Thomas Kristensen, with Jean-Clair Todibo of West Ham acting as the alternative option. Calciomercato.com reports that Kristensen is the man that Atalanta target Cristiano Giuntoli wants to strengthen Maurizio Sarri's backline, however Udinese have made it clear that they will only consider a hefty offer for the Danish defender.

Atalanta are prepared to allocate a sum of €20-25m to secure Kristensen, who is highly regarded in the Serie A. Udinese's technical director, Gökhan Inler, acknowledged that there are interested clubs, but firmly stated that Kristensen remains an Udinese player for now. Kristensen's influential presence as captain in Udinese's 1-0 victory against Barcelona in the same tournament underscores his importance to the club.

The move is part of Atalanta's broader defensive restructure following the departure of veteran captain Berat Djimsiti to Saudi Arabia's Al-Diriyah. Giuntoli, who admired Kristensen during his time at Juventus, is a strong proponent of the move, with the main obstacle being the cost. Should the deal prove too expensive, Atalanta could turn to Todibo, who is set to depart West Ham after their relegation from the Premier League.

However, his wages and competition from Juventus may make him a less attractive option compared to Kristensen at this time.