Verona Trying to Fend Off Atalanta to Keep Top Defender

Verona wish to agree to a new contract with Isak Hien to thwart another attempt by Atalanta in January. La Dea repeatedly tried to snap him up last summer, but their offer came short of the request.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Scaligeri will have to open their wallet to make it happen. The Swede currently makes €600k and asked to double his wages to shake hands. They met with a member of his entourage at the HQ on Tuesday.

Verona aim at reaching an agreement with Hien before the start of the next transfer window, keeping ahold of a pillar who could entice further teams on top of Atalanta. Torino inquired in the past and could turn to the market to find a replacement for Perr Schuurs. The Dutchman will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL tear.

The Bergamaschi offered €12M in their final bid, but the Gialloblù didn’t budge from a €17M demand, and the suitors moved on. They ultimately signed just Sead Kolasinac in the back.

Our Take on Verona, Hien, and Atalanta

That’d be quite the pay bump, but it’s understandable considering how much they valued him, his performances, and his importance to the team. It remains to be seen whether they’ll indeed comply with it. If they don’t strike a deal in the next two months, he’ll resume being a hot commodity in early 2024.