Amad Diallo of Atalanta reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group D stage match between Atalanta BC and FC Midtjylland at Gewiss Stadium on December 01, 2020 in Bergamo, Italy.
Manchester United have rejected attempts from Atalanta to keep teenage winger Amad Diallo on loan for the rest of the season, reports claim, as he bids to wrap up his £37million move to Old Trafford.
United signed 18-year-old Diallo in October but failed to secure a work permit, so allowed him to stay at the Serie A side with a view to bringing him in this month.
Diallo posted a picture of himself with his bags packed on a plane on Sunday as reports claimed he was flying out to Rome to put the finishing touches on the UK work permit he needs, and ESPN report that United are confident he will receive that paperwork 'imminently'.
It adds that the Red Devils have no intention of extending his loan deal in the Italian top flight, with Atalanta making no secret of their desire to keep him on board.
Last month, Sportsmail revealed United were in the process of securing a Governing Body Endorsement from the FA that will lead to him being granted a work permit.
Manager Gian Piero Gasperini - who confirmed that Diallo had received his passport to travel to England - said he could be a 'solution' during this transfer window as he suggested the idea of delaying his Premier League move until next summer.
“The transfer market? We are fine, the club is attentive,” Gasperini said.
“There is an internal solution within the club that could be very interesting, even if the team is fine: it is Amad Diallo.
“It is clear that he is going to Manchester United, but he could still remain here for a few months with us. I like him a lot, he's only 18. I'd like him to stay until June, obviously it depends on his club.”
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this week reiterated there were no 'obstacles' in the way of Diallo completing his switch.
Diallo has only featured once in this season's Serie A campaign for the Bergamo club, with the winger also making one substitute appearance in the Champions League. He has five senior appearances in total for the team - scoring one senior goal.
The Ivorian made his Atalanta debut last season and even made the matchday squad for the club's European quarter-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain last season.
“We have had all the paperwork, I can't see any obstacles. He's coming,” he said.
“I hope very soon he will be with us. I'm very excited about bringing him in. I think he's shown a few times his qualities.
“Of course he has to learn to play in England, that's a different level of football. We'll give him time to develop and to express himself.
“Apart from that, I'm not really thinking too much on what we're going to do with players. Of course, we're always working long-term. That's the big thing. We have targets we need long-term for the club.”
Should Diallo's move go through without any problems he will link up with an in-form team who are joint-top of the Premier League alongside Liverpool. Solskjaer's men have won their four of their last five league games after a dramatic turnaround in their fortunes.
