Atalanta are growing increasingly confident that Mattia Caldara will return to Bergamo from AC Milan this January.
The defender left Bergamo for Juventus in 2018 and was swiftly passed on to Milan as part of the deal that saw Leonardo Bonucci return to Turin but injuries have played their part in preventing him from settling at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
La Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that Simon Kjaer’s time with Atalanta is likely to end, leading to La Dea stepping up their pursuit of Caldara.
Negotiations between the two clubs remain complicated though, despite progress having been made since Tuesday.
Caldara is keen to make his return and is happy to see his salary reduce to make it happen, given his current €3 million is too much for Atalanta to meet.
The clubs are still seeking an arrangement that suits both, but the Rossoneri aren’t willing to contribute to his salary should he move on an initial 18-month loan deal with an obligation for Atalanta to buy him outright at the end as currently seems the most likely resolution.
