Forget Ademola Lookman, THIS is the Atalanta forward Liverpool should be targetting

It’s no secret that Liverpool have been looking towards Atalanta as a potential recruiting ground in recent seasons.

Links with Ederson and Ademola Lookman have been well established while former Atalanta player Teun Koopmeiners was also admired from Anfield before he moved to Juventus last summer.

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Another forward in the shape of Charles De Ketelaere was told by his coach Gian Piero Gasperini over Christmas that it was only a matter of time before he ended up at Liverpool - or else Real Madrid.

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Atalanta are right in the mix for a first-ever Serie A title - coming only a year after winning the Europa League title - a run which saw them eliminate the Reds along the way.

Mateo Retegui's extraordinary season

Currently third and three points behind leaders Inter, La Dea battered fourth-place Juventus 4-0 away from home in the Italian top flight’s standout fixture on Sunday night. It means their last three away league matches have been won by an aggregate score of 14-0.

And in their ranks they have a European Golden Shoe candidate who SHOULD be on the Reds’ radar along with his teammates - if he’s not already.

Mateo Retegui, 25, only joined in August as emergency cover following a serious injury to Gianluca Scamacca. He hit the ground running with two goals on his league debut and hasn’t looked back since.

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The Argentine-born goal ace has scored 22 in 26 Serie A games, second to only a certain Mohamed Salah in the race for the European Golden Shoe.

It wasn’t his best game in Turin but he still managed to get on the scoresheet, turning in a penalty to put Atalanta 1-0 up and set them on their way.

Retegui - a late bloomer?

He is a poacher, who, admittedly, has gaps in his overall approach play. But whether it’s a turn and shot, an opportunistic finish or else a piece of sumptuous skill, Retegui is proving this season that he’s got it all in abundance.

Atalanta are an attacking team - as their frequent Serie A blowouts would prove - and it is clear that Retegui is benefitting from better services than he’s ever got before.

This season he has netted 22 times in the league from an expected goals total of 13.9 per FBREF. His 22 goals have come off only 26 shots on target - and he is delivering around 0.73 goals per shot on target. He shoots, he scores.

Perhaps the Italy international is a little old for Liverpool’s recruiters but there is such thing as a later bloomer. That appears to be the case for Retegui, who only moved to Italy from the Argentine leagues in 2023.

Having racked up the goals for Genoa, he earned his move to Atalanta - for a relatively cheap price of around €20 million. No one expected a goalscoring season like this one and it’s already led to speculation he could be on his way.

Arsenal and Manchester United are named among the English teams potentially interested in recruiting the former Tigre man while Juventus are always lurking in the background.

At a time when Liverpool are considering upgrades in attack, it might be time to strike for one of the most efficient around.

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