According to the latest claims from Italian outlet Tuttosport, Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi has reached an agreement with Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia over a permanent deal for on-loan midfielder Mario Pasalic.
Pasalic initially joined Atalanta on a season-long loan deal back in 2018 before returning to the Italian club on loan for a second successive campaign last summer, having played a key role in their third-place finish in the 2018-19 Serie A.
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A €15 million option-to-buy clause had been negotiated by both clubs prior to the commencement of Pasalic's initial loan spell back in 2018 and Atalanta have now reportedly confirmed talks with the Chelsea hierarchy to take up that option when the next transfer window opens.
The 12-cap Croatian international joined Chelsea on a €2.5 million deal from Hajduk Split in his homeland back in the summer of 2015 but he hasn't been lucky enough to make a single first-team appearance for the Blues.
Pasalic enjoyed successful loan spells at Elche in La Liga, Monaco in Ligue 1 and AC Milan in the Serie A before joining Atalanta on a temporary basis back in 2018 and has since evolved into a key player for the Italian outfit.
Here's a recap of Pasalic's best moments from his loan spell at Monaco:
The 25-year-old has accumulated an impressive tally of 15 goals and 13 assists in 74 appearances for Atalanta across all competitions.
Pasalic has been on fire this season, racking up 7 goals and 7 assists in 32 outings, while also playing a key role in Atalanta's march to the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
Are Chelsea making a mistake by selling Pasalic? Did he deserve an opportunity to impress in the first-team? Share your views below!
