Stuttgart close to signing striker El Bilal Toure from Atalanta

Stuttgart close to signing striker El Bilal Toure from Atalanta

VfB Stuttgart are on the verge of completing their third striker signing of the summer, with El Bilal Toure set to join from Serie A side Atalanta.

The deal is reportedly valued at around €18 million, and Toure is expected to sign a five-year contract at the MHP Arena. Only the final details remain to be ironed out.

This will be Stuttgart's third striker acquisition this summer, following their €21 million investment in Ermedin Demirovic and the €26 million permanent return of Deniz Undav.

Toure joined Atalanta from Almeria just last summer, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side splashing out €30 million to secure the 22-year-old center-forward. However, this move has proven to be one of the few miscalculations for the Bergamo club.

A long-term injury severely limited Toure's impact last season. He made his Serie A debut for the Europa League champions in February, coming on as a late substitute in a 4-1 victory over Genoa and marking the occasion with a goal.

Toure went on to make 17 appearances across all competitions, but with just three goals and one assist, he fell short of expectations. Given this underwhelming return, it's not surprising that Atalanta have decided to part ways with him.

Negotiations between Atalanta and Stuttgart are in advanced stages, with only the final details pending before Toure officially joins the Bundesliga side. Stuttgart, like Atalanta, secured Champions League qualification last season, finishing a surprising second behind Bayer Leverkusen.

Toure's arrival is expected to fill the void left by Serhou Guirassy's transfer to Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, Atalanta will likely need to re-enter the market to find a replacement.

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