Skrtel has terminated Atalanta contract as Kjaer replaces him.
Martin Skrtel has terminated his Atalanta contract by mutual consent less than a month after joining from Fenerbahce and been replaced by Simon Kjaer on deadline day.
The Danish central defender leaves Sevilla and will play on loan in Serie A next season after two seasons at Sevilla. Via an official statement, Atalanta announced the loan deal of Simon Kjaer who will join the Champions League club for this season.
The 30 year-old central defender leaves the Sanchez Pizjuan where Julen Lpetegui had warned him that he would not much gametime in the new look Sevilla back line.
Having come through the Midtylland youth teams, Simon Kjaer made the step up to Palermo in August 2008 to start a career which took him to Germany, France and Turkey before moving to Spain. After two seasons at Sevilla, the Danish central defender leaves the club from Sevilla with 64 appearances to his belt, in which he scored three goals and gave out one assist.
Meanwhile, 34-year-old Skrtel is reported to have fallen out with Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini regarding slow first-team integration and the two parties agreed to end their association just 24 days after the defender joined. He signed a one-year deal with the club on August 9 after leaving Fenerbahce earlier in the summer but was yet to make his debut for the Lombardy-based side after being an unused substitute in last weekend’s 3-2 win over SPAL.
“He said that at his age, he had trouble playing in a three-man defence which is understandable. He arrived after we had started training, and he had difficulties. It was difficult for him to adapt to our style of play, which is understandable,” said Gasperini.
The centre-back made more than 200 appearances in an eight-year spell with Liverpool before he made the switch to Turkey in 2016. Once again as free agent, Skrtel has signed for Istanbul Basaksehir. The Istanbul club, who finished second in the Turkish Super Lig last season, have signed Skrtel on a one-year deal.
SEE ALSO:
- OFFICIAL: Martin Skrtel leaves Fenerbahce for Champions League football
- OFFICIAL: Inter Milan regret moves to Celta Vigo on loan
