Italian international striker Mateo Retegui has reportedly accepted a lucrative €20 million per year contract offer from Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah. The forward is now actively seeking to leave his current club Atalanta this summer.
Sources close to the situation reveal that Retegui has informed Atalanta of his desire to make the move to Saudi Arabia. However, the Italian club is holding firm on their €60 million valuation of the player, having already rejected a €53 million bid from Al-Qadsiah.
Negotiations between the two clubs are expected to continue, with Al-Qadsiah potentially including performance-based bonuses to bridge the gap and meet Atalanta`s asking price for the Serie A top scorer.
Retegui has made a significant impact in Italian football, scoring 32 goals in 65 Serie A appearances split between Genoa and Atalanta. The striker has also netted six times in 20 matches for the Italian national team.
Despite only spending one season each at Genoa and Atalanta, Retegui`s goalscoring prowess has attracted attention from the cash-rich Saudi Pro League. The potential transfer represents a growing trend of top European-based players being lured to Saudi Arabia by substantial financial offers.
As talks progress, all eyes will be on whether Atalanta can be persuaded to part with their prized asset or if they will manage to retain Retegui`s services for the upcoming season.