Only days after completing the arrival of Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer, Atalanta have added another left-footed defender to their squad. According to the club’s website, Mitchell Bakker has become La Dea’s latest signing after the Italians found an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen.
Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperinin has been on the lookout for a new left-back ever since Robin Gosens left Bergamo to join Inter in January 2022. Despite luring Kolasinac to the Gewiss Stadium, Gasperini’s men have pulled off another significant coup on the left side.
While the Bosnian arrived on a free transfer after running down his contract at Marseille, Atalanta must have paid some compensation fee to Leverkusen to capture Bakker’s services. The 22-year-old has landed in Serie A for an undisclosed fee following a decent two-year stint in the Bundesliga.
Bakker teamed up with Die Werkself in 2021, leaving Paris Saint-Germain after losing his place in the first team. He racked up 70 competitive appearances for the German heavyweights, managing five goals and seven assists. Yet, he tumbled down the pecking order at the tail-end of last season.
Xabi Alonso’s appointment as the new Leverkusen chief midway through last season pushed Bakker to the fringes. A fresh start at Atalanta could be an opportunity for the Dutchman to earn his maiden cap for the Netherlands national team.
Despite representing all youth squads, he’s yet to make a senior appearance for the Oranje. He’ll find his fellow countrymen Teun Koopmeiners and Marten de Roon at Atalanta. The two should help Bakker, who has penned a four-year contract, adjust to the new surroundings.
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