Atalanta are set to activate a €15million (£13.45m) clause to make Mario Pasalic's loan deal from Chelsea permanent, their sporting director has confirmed.
Pasalic joined Chelsea in 2014 but is yet to make a single appearance for the first team, having spent time away from the club on a string of loan moves.
However, having impressed in 32 appearances across all competitions - scoring seven and assisting a further seven - for Atalanta this season, the Serie A side have decided to take up their option to buy.
“We’re going to buy Mario Pasalic on a permanent deal from Chelsea," sporting director Giovanni Sartori told Sky Sport in Italy. "We want to use the buy option.”
The deal would see Chelsea pocket nearly £13.5m for a player who has never turned out at Stamford Bridge, further bolstering their spending power this summer.
The Blues are set to complete a £53m deal for RB Leipzig's Timo Werner having already added forward Hakim Ziyech in a £37m deal completed in February.
Lampard's recruitment drive has not stopped there, however, with both Ben Chilwell and Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz both top targets for next season.
