Atalanta confirm Muriel transfer to Orlando City

Atalanta director Luca Percassi confirms Luis Muriel is set to join Orlando City in MLS, but will be invited back to Bergamo for ‘the send-off he deserves.’

The Colombia international was for a long while the most expensive signing in the history of the club, purchased from Sevilla for €21.2m in the summer of 2019.

“Let’s say the transfer should be completed over the next few hours,” Percassi told DAZN.

It is reported that Orlando City will pay Atalanta circa €1m for the transfer, while Muriel can sign a three-year contract for the Major League Soccer side.

His deal with La Dea had been due to expire on June 30 and he should have a medical tomorrow.

This is also why Muriel is not in the squad with Atalanta for this afternoon’s Serie A trip to Genoa, so he won’t get to say goodbye to the fans.

“When these things happen, there is not the opportunity to give an adequate salute to someone who was a protagonist for Atalanta, but the club assures we can invite him back to Bergamo before the end of the season so that the crowd can give him that send-off he deserves.

“That is, of course, assuming it all goes through,” added Percassi.

Muriel scored six goals and provided one assist in 25 competitive games for Atalanta this season.

In total, he found the back of the net 68 times in 184 matches for the club.