The Blueprint
Atalanta 2024 Summer Mercato Analysis
Football is a profoundly unfair game. This shouldn’t be a controversial statement to anyone who is fairly familiar with it, but it was only in recent years that the full extent of this statement truly dawned on me. It is not just that a select few clubs have a significant advantage, it is that all the other clubs are seemingly completely hopeless; perhaps even meaningless, if you’re being particularly cynical. Sure, there are clubs that do a good job of mitigating the limits of their disadvantages; clubs that are ran extremely well and highly strategical. But how are those clubs ultimately rewarded for their sporting prowess? Well, they lose all of their most valuable pieces to clubs that are more powerful before they are able to win anything. No matter how well-ran your club is, football’s power structure doesn’t allow for it to achieve material success. Except, every once in a while, stories will develop that make you question whether or not this is true. In recent history, Atalanta is perhaps the quintessential example.
By 2014, Atalanta were a club plagued by mediocrity. They were not immune to playing in the lower divisions, and while historically a Serie A team more often than not, their presence was hardly felt on the pitch. Two brief back-to-back European qualifications in 1988–90 and a somewhat flukey Coppa Italia win in 1964 was all the club had really ever achieved. In the Summer of 2014, when Giovanni Sartori became the new sporting director of the club, Atalanta were about where you would expect them to be, on average; it hadn’t been long since they had last played in Serie B, and in the previous season they had finished 11th in Serie A. 2013–14 Atalanta is a team that no one remembers, and it’s not unfair to characterize this as an average Atalanta season. 10 years later, we know very well how far this club has come. Many people will not even remember an Atalanta that wasn’t a perennial Europa League/Champions League team. I am almost 20 years old and a fan of Italian football (although I haven’t always been to this extent) and I barely remember the “old” Atalanta. When I was younger, they were simply wallpaper. Today, things are oh so different, and that is the power of prolific scouting combined with great coaching. It all started with Giovanni Sartori, who made history once more in his eight-year term at the club. Papu Gómez, Marten de Roon, Remo Freuler, Franck Kessié, Gianluca Mancini, Mattia Caldara, Hans Hateboer, Bryan Cristante, Robin Gosens, Josip Iličić, Roger Ibañez, Mario Pašalić, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Luis Muriel, Cristian Romero, and Teun Koopmeiners were all signed to Atalanta by Sartori. Then, of course, off the pitch, you had Gian Piero Gasperini, one of Italy’s greatest and most influential coaches of the century by now, who was—however—not particularly respected at the time of his arrival. In the Sartori-era, Atalanta finished top four in four consecutive seasons, and their 2019–20 season remains one of the most impressive feats in the history of Italian football, as they likely would have won the scudetto if not for unfortunate margins, COVID-19, or a combination of both. In fact in the same season, Atalanta led against eventual Champions League finalists, PSG, until the 90th minute of the quarter finals of the tournament. Just four years after the team had finished 13th in Serie A, it peaked as one of the very best teams in the world. It is an unbelievable achievement from everyone involved, that doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves. Why is that? Well, by the summer 2022, when Giovanni Sartori left the club, Atalanta were still yet to win a single major trophy outside of that 1964 Coppa Italia. Thankfully, the departure of Sartori did not signify the end of Atalanta as we had grown to know them. Gasperini remained at the wheel on the coaching front, and on the directorial front Sartori was replaced by Tony D’Amico from Hellas Verona. With signings like Éderson, Rasmus Højlund, Ademola Lookman, Isak Hien, El Bilal Touré, Charles De Ketelaere, and Gianluca Scamacca, the sporting direction today is not much worse than it was under Sartori. Atalanta’s identity remains intact, but the most significant part of how their story has developed in recent years is perhaps not the fact that their sporting transformation has looked increasingly long-lasting; maybe even permanent. Instead, I would like to revisit what happened on May 22, 2024: Atalanta finally won something. As far as they had come leading up to this season—from seemingly eternal mediocrity and no promise of stability, to perennial participation in European competitions—the truth is that they didn’t have anything particularly concrete to show for it. Sure, it was an incredible story and an unbelievably impressive achievement, but Atalanta were ultimately not winning trophies; not any of them; not even once. Perhaps they could only go so far; perhaps they had hit their ceiling; perhaps winning remained reserved for Europe’s elite clubs? The answer is unequivocally “no”. In the 2024 Europa League final, Atalanta were up against a Bayer Leverkusen side that had not lost a competitive game all season, yet they absolutely, indisputably wiped the floor with them. Atalanta were champions; their success was tangible. It is one of the best stories in professional sports, and should be a source of inspiration to everyone, but particularly to the football clubs that are at a disadvantage. The game is rigged, yes, but Atalanta have proved that nothing is truly impossible; any club can become a competitive force in their country; any club can win. I used to call it naïveté, but Atalanta have literally done it; they used to not matter, and now they are champions. It wasn’t a flash in the pan, it wasn’t a fluke, but the result of sporting strategy. The issue of football’s shocking lack of democracy, which is only really heading in the wrong direction, remains and should not be undermined, but it is comforting to know that it isn’t the end-all, be-all. With all due respect to Leicester’s 2015–16 title win—which is by all means an incredible story—what Atalanta have achieved is more significant for the sport. Whereas Leicester’s achievement was ultimately a short-lived fluke which may very well never repeat itself, Atalanta have risen, they have won, and they are here to stay. Looking forward, it’s hard to not see anything but brightness. The squad is largely young and highly promising, Gasperini is still a great manager, the youth sector is still incredibly strong, this summer is set to come with exciting changes, and we know that the club is in good hands.
Now, let’s look at how Atalanta’s summer has shaped out so far, and how it could continue to develop.
Squad assessment
Just as in my last article, I’m first going to assess Atalanta’s squad to determine which holes need to be filled, before getting into my projected signings. To do this, I’m going to put each player into one of three categories: keep, sell or loan. What I determine for each player will partly be based on what I think will happen, and partly based on what I think should happen—the same way I have decided upon my projected signings.
- Marco Carnesecchi: Keep
Marco Carnesecchi is coming off of somewhat of a breakout season and has established himself as Atalanta’s starting goalkeeper over the past year—in my opinion he’s the first reliable keeper they’ve had in quite a while. At just 24 years old, Carnesecchi is one of Italy’s very brightest goalkeeper prospects, and it shouldn’t last long before bigger clubs come calling for him, but for now I think he’s set to stay. - Juan Musso: Sell (€5m)
Juan Musso was a rare miss by Giovanni Sartori; a sizeable investment for Atalanta’s standards, who has mostly been a starter during his time at the club, but who has generally not performed well. Even then, there seems to be interest in Musso, and Atalanta seem open to selling him. - Pierluigi Gollini: Keep
After a billion consecutive loan spells, it might be time for Gollini to return to Atalanta—this time as a backup goalkeeper, given the projected departure of Juan Musso. - Giorgio Scalvini: Keep
Giorgio Scalvini’s ACL injury in an ultimately meaningless match was a real gut punch to Atalanta and anyone who is fond of the young center-back. It’s hard to project exactly how long he will be out for, but Atalanta are right to plan for a 2024–25 season without Scalvini. - Isak Hien: Keep
Isak Hien was brought in from Hellas Verona last January, and has established himself as a starter at Atalanta since. It makes me very proud. - Berat Djimsiti: Keep
Berat Djimsiti is one of a few players who doesn’t get too much attention outside of Atalanta circles, but who has subtly become a legend of the club in this modern era. He ranks 16th in all-time appearances for Atalanta, and at 31 years old he remains a serviceable depth piece—in fact last season he was a bonafide starter, setting a career record for playing time in a season, but I would assume that Isak Hien is going to be the primary central center-back next season. - Sead Kolašinac: Keep
In his debut season with Atalanta, Sead Kolašinac did not make a particularly strong impression, but he has turned out to be a good depth signing for a budget—in fact he is even a serviceable starter, if necessary. Atalanta should look to upgrade at left center-back this summer, but Kolašinac is a nice depth piece. - Rafael Tolói: Keep
Speaking of overlooked legends, Rafael Tolói ranks sixth in all-time appearances for Atalanta and is currently the club’s captain. With the soon-to-be 34-year old rapidly regressing, the end of his Atalanta career admittedly edges closer. Still, his contract expires in 2025, and Giorgio Scalvini’s injury might have sealed a rotational role for Tolói in this team until then. - Giovanni Bonfanti: Loan
Or keep him in the u23 team, it doesn’t make much difference to me. - Davide Zappacosta: Keep
As is the case with many Atalanta players, Davide Zappacosta isn’t much of a game-changer, but by now he’s a well-established part of Atalanta’s core, and Atalanta clearly prioritize continuity over maximizing the talent levels at each position; potentially forcing certain changes. I’m sure Zappacosta will remain the starter at right wing-back next season. - Hans Hateboer: Keep
Hans Hateboer ranks 13th in all-time Atalanta appearances, and while I’m not a big fan of him as a player, they’re almost certainly going to keep him around for depth purposes next season. - Brandon Soppy: Sell (€2m)
It’s very sad how rapidly Brandon Soppy’s career has faded out so early. When at Udinese I felt he was really promising and when Atalanta signed him I was intrigued, but two years later his future looks rather bleak in comparison. Atalanta should be able to offload him for a couple million Euros, but there is no guarantee. - Nadir Zortea: Sell (€4.5m)
I suggested him as a signing for Roma, and then I suggested him as a signing for Fiorentina. Unfortunately for Zortea, to be frank, he is set to end up at Cagliari instead, and although the transfer fee is unknown for the time being, I think €4.5m is realistic. - Matteo Ruggeri: Keep
Academy product Matteo Ruggeri was fully integrated into the first team as a starter last season, and in that left wing-back role he is… fine. I would look to upgrade on him in the long-term, but for next season he will do as a starter. After all, he just turned 22, and should therefore still be improving. - Mitchel Bakker: Keep
Mitchel Bakker has been a highly disappointing signing for Atalanta so far, but it’s easier for Atalanta to keep him as a backup for one more year than to already sell him at a loss and have to look for a replacement. - Marten de Roon: Keep
Marten de Roon is Atalanta’s quintessential cult hero in modern times, as he now ranks second in all-time appearances and is the de-facto captain due to Tolói’s infrequent playing time. No one has quietly become a hero to Atalantini in recent years the way De Roon has—he’s never the one who gets the credit in the mainstream, but for years he has been a hard-working defensive anchor to this team, and an essential leader figure on top of that, more importantly. At this point it is naïve to assume he won’t start next season. - Éderson: Keep
Éderson was brought in from Salernitana for a pretty hefty fee in 2022, and it is only in recent months that my skepticism of him has worn off, as I’ve grown to appreciate how good of a player he is. He and De Roon form a double pivot that is incredibly solid out of possession, and Éderson’s defensive numbers make it unlikely for Atalanta to be able to keep him much longer, but for this summer I think he will stay. - Mario Pašalić: Keep
At his best, Mario Pašalić used to be awesome for Atalanta, and among the modern Atalanta legends who have become just that because they’ve simply never been given the opportunity to make that big move—to put it bluntly—he is perhaps the one who peaked the highest. Ranking 12th in all-time appearances for the club, Pašalić was a fantastically complete, goal-scoring midfielder at his best, and while he has undoubtedly regressed, he remains a formidable depth option. - Michel Adopo: Keep?
Aside from a goal knocking Milan out of the Coppa Italia in 2023, Michel Adopo has achieved next to nothing in his senior career so far. He turns 24 in a few days, and has amassed just 5.7 90s in his career so far. Last year Atalanta signed him on a free transfer, and I don’t know why, but seeing as that transfer is just as confusing now as it was then, I also don’t know what Adopo’s near future holds—what has really changed?
I guess he’s staying? I don’t know, man. - Teun Koopmeiners: Sell (€60m)
Atalanta are a selling club; it’s part of their model, which makes them perhaps the most sustainably ran club in European football. So, with about a billion other things indicating that Teun Koopmeiners is on his way out this summer, the only actual question is where he will end up and how much Atalanta will be paid. The main suitors seem to be Juventus, but there are reasonable concerns over whether or not they will be able to close the deal, given Atalanta’s lofty demands. If not, will he end up somewhere else? I seriously doubt that he stays due to a lack of clubs that are willing to meet what really isn’t a shocking asking price, so between Juve or another club meeting the asking price, and Atalanta lowering their asking price, I’m leaning towards the former as the more likely outcome. - Aleksey Miranchuk: Sell (€11m)
Aleksey Miranchuk’s Atalanta stint is now heading towards a definitive end, and he should go down as one of the most underrated players of this era for the club. He didn’t get a ton of playing time, but when he did he always made the most of it. For that reason, Atalanta are not unreasonable to ask for €15m for the player, although €11m looks more likely to be the final transfer fee. - Viktor Kovalenko: Sell (€1.5m
Does anyone object? - Charles De Ketelaere: Keep
Good player. - Ademola Lookman: Keep
A return to England could be tempting for Lookman, but I feel like the Premier League clubs that could afford him will overlook him because of his age combined with an asking price that won’t be particularly low. Hopefully for Atalanta, that will be the case. - El Bilal Touré: Keep
It’s really unfortunate that El Bilal Touré missed nearly the entirety of his debut season at Atalanta through injury, but/because when I watched him play towards the end, I thought he looked truly incredible. Whoever Milan sign at striker this summer, it won’t be enough for them to have the best attack in the Serie A on paper—Atalanta’s forward depth is truly ridiculous. Based on what I’ve seen, El Bilal Touré might be the best striker Atalanta have had since Duván Zapata was at his best, and that’s saying a lot. Hopefully he has an explosive breakout next season. - Gianluca Scamacca: Keep
The frustration looming around Gianluca Scamacca perhaps only increased last season, as his lone season at West Ham was a disappointment all throughout, whereas his first season at Atalanta was undoubtedly a success, yet still plagued by the feeling that you wanted to see more from him. Sure enough, he only scored 12 league goals, but his 26 non-penalty goal contributions in 25.7 90s in all competitions were still unbelievably impressive, although those stats are somewhat misleading. I don’t disagree with the narrative that we’re still waiting for Scamacca’s definitive breakout even though he turns 26 around the middle of next season, but I do feel like he’s already pretty great right now—for Atalanta that certainly matters. Otherwise, if he does have a full breakout season, this could be a record sale for Atalanta, which gives you a glimpse of how bright their future is. - Roberto Piccoli: Loan with option to buy (€1.5m)
This is a done deal and the fee is referring to the cost of the loan as opposed to the option to buy!
Needs:
- Temporary starting right center-back (addressed)
- Starting left center-back
- Backup midfielder for double pivot (addressed)
- Starting attacking midfielder
- Backup attacking midfielder (addressed)
Ben Godfrey (€10m)
The first signing of this summer by Atalanta was Ben Godfrey from Everton. Perhaps an unexpected signing, given Godfrey’s stagnation since his breakout season in 2020 — 21, but in many ways it makes sense. I can only assume that this signing aims to temporarily replace Giorgio Scalvini, who, as established, should miss a substantial part of next season, if not the entirety of it. These operations in which injured players have to be replaced, but only for as long as they will be out, are always difficult, but there is a lot of structural sensibility to this solution. For next season, Godfrey should act as the primary starter as long as Scalvini is out, whereas Rafael Tolói will serve as the primary backup. Since Tolói’s contract expires next summer, we can then see Scalvini regain his role as a primary starter in 2025 — 26, with Godfrey thereby taking on a rotational role, which might be more suitable to his abilities anyway. With all of this being said, I’m not a huge fan of Godfrey as a player, and to be completely honest I think it’s the players of his caliber that are holding Atalanta back from re-establishing themselves as a true powerhouse of Italian football. At the end of the day, it should be acknowledged that Atalanta have regressed compared to 2018 — 2021. Not only is their team weaker on paper, but this is perhaps also the main reason why Gian Piero Gasperini has committed to a significantly more conservative tactical approach, which for his merit has shown his tactical versatility, but which has also led to a remarkable regression. Players like Hans Hateboer, Marten de Roon, Matteo Ruggeri, Berat Djimsiti, and now also Ben Godfrey, can all be valuable in their own rights, but I do think they should mainly serve as stopgaps rather than long-term pieces. As for Godfrey’s qualities, he is generally an average technician and most notably a good ball-carrier, but as has been the case with many Atalanta defenders in recent years, he mainly stands out off the ball. He’s quick, strong, mobile, and a good athlete, which are by all means ideal traits for a Gasperini-player to have, but that’s not to say Godfrey is a perfect defender nor athlete. He’s by no means a physical specimen, but rather possesses desirable physical traits and a respectable technical base, which should make him a good system player under Gasperini. As he turns 27 around the middle of next season, he has perhaps already reached his potential, which is not very high, and that’s why I’m somewhat underwhelmed by this signing. Perhaps a more intriguing long-term piece would have been preferable, or maybe this was the perfect solution to the issue in question and I more so don’t want Atalanta to settle for system players with low ceilings, generally speaking.
Dean Huijsen (€30m)
My only projected signing that Atalanta haven’t already completed– or are working on is Juventus’ Dean Huijsen. Perhaps this deal could facilitate the sale of Teun Koopmeiners, in which case it could be a win-win… well, with all due respect to Teun Koopmeiners, I think Atalanta would be the clear winners of that deal, which I have to emphasize without getting caught up in my issues with Juve’s apparent negligence of their young core. Forget why I don’t like this operation for Juventus; the reason why I like this for Atalanta is that Teun Koopmeiners has probably reached his peak value, as he turns 27 next February, whereas Dean Huijsen is one of the most enticing young prospects in Italian football, having just turned 19 last April. With Atalanta’s track record, it’s not hard to imagine them selling Huijsen for an enormous fee within just a few years, which might seem like a soulless thing to celebrate, but this is ultimately why Atalanta’s model works; why they’re able to break football’s unwritten rules. Of course, an enormous sale is also only made possible by a level of performances that warrants it, and while Huijsen would be highly unlikely to reach his full potential while at Atalanta, his talent would make him a key player at the club; he would not just provide financial value for the future.
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Whereas Gasperini is more so known for his coaching in attack and out of possession, he is hardly a bad technical coach, and more importantly Huijsen is already shockingly refined in his technique; it’s rather out of possession where he still needs to grow. As far as that is concerned, it should be emphasized that this part of his game is not a cause for concern in the long-term, but rather an area in which he remains raw—completely natural, considering his age. What ultimately makes Huijsen a truly special center-back prospect is, specifically, is his physical profile. There are many young defenders who are ahead of Huijsen in their respective developments, but Huijsen’s ceiling is sky-high due to a specific combination that he possesses; of power and elegance. Sure enough, when you watch Huijsen play, you might not notice that he’s 1.95 m tall, because for a player of his size he plays with so much grace and smoothness. It is by no means merely an aesthetics-based observation either; Huijsen has a great turning radius, he’s highly mobile and agile, and thus he’s extremely press-resistant and controlled in possession, while also being a reliable 1v1 defender. Combine this with Huijsen’s size and strength, and you get a lethal combination that really makes a modern center-back great—something I discussed in this article, in reference to Fikayo Tomori. Even with the increased prevalence of so-called ball-playing defenders, the best defenders today aren’t necessarily the ones with the broadest technical skill-sets, but rather those with this specific, aforementioned combination that is somewhat hard to describe, but very easy to recognize. Out of possession, the prototypical modern defender is big, strong and imposing, but simultaneously not overly aggressive or rash; they maintain a strong sense of control and security. In possession, the prototypical defender is similarly able to be incisive and progressive, but is perhaps more often able to avoid risk through wise decision-making and an ability to protect the ball. Of course, the players who seem to fit this mould all do so to varying degrees; Fikayo Tomori is unreliable in the air and struggles with ball progression; Dean Huijsen is still very young and has a long way to go. But, the point is that this kind of profile is incredibly special, and that’s why Huijsen is worth a lot more than his senior accomplishments may suggest — something I think Juventus overlook, quite frankly. As mentioned, there are aspects of Huijsen’s game that ooze grace and control, but with his size he is also a towering box defender, an imposing presence off the ball, a powerful ball-carrier, and an incisive passer. Huijsen does look somewhat skinny, which could appear to be the cause of his mobility, but he already weighs 84 kg, and that shows up on tape when you consider how young he is. In any case, as for what this signing would signify for Atalanta, I think €30m would be a small fee to pay for a prospect of this caliber—one who should be ready for regular first team football at the highest level next season. Especially due to Huijsen’s outstanding ambidexterity, I think he could be an excellent fit for the left center-back role for Atalanta—in my eyes an immediate starter at that. Gasperini and Huijsen is a scary combination, and if Atalanta were to pull this signing off it would be enough to make this mercato a success.
Marco Brescianini (€10m)
Marco Brescianini is certainly not a name I would have suggested for Atalanta, but honestly I am a little bit scared to criticize this seemingly imminent signing. Brescianini’s output is not very good at all, but his tape is a lot more intriguing, although this signing still confuses me with that in mind. What I do frankly dislike about Brescianini, is that he generally doesn’t really do any of the things you want your midfielder to do particularly well; he’s poor defensively, and in possession he’s… I don’t know, but he’s not great. As for why he’s not good defensively, the output explains it quite clearly: he ranks in the third percentile for tackles per 90, the 13th percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled, the fourth percentile for interceptions per 90, the 15th percentile for blocks per 90, the 45th percentile for aerial duels won per 90, and the 27th percentile for aerial duel win rate (via FBref). He’s lanky, he’s not particularly quick, and he’s somewhat uncoordinated, which is not a recipe for success for defensive contribution. Meanwhile, in possession, Brescianini ranks in the sixth percentile for passes attempted per 90, the 27th percentile for pass completion, and the fifth percentile for progressive passes per 90. All of the stats up to this point are enough for one to reasonably be extremely skeptical of Brescianini’s game—perhaps even writing it off completely. Yet there is something about it that is definitely intriguing to me. I don’t think this is the Koopmeiners-replacement, especially since a better and more suitable alternative has already been confirmed as a target of Atalanta’s, but there is a semblance of Koopmeiners in Brescianini’s game. He does rank above average for both progressive carries per 90 and successful take-ons per 90, which only really undersells what Brescianini does well. Although he can’t pass the ball particularly well in buildup, Brescianini boasts odd elements of fantastic press-resistance and close control. He is able to receive the ball well, he’s a good carrier, and with his dribbling he evades pressure well or even beats opponents in more direct actions. This, combined with a fringe ability to get into the box and create from outside of it—particularly in wider areas in a way that is reminiscent of Koopmeiners—does make Brescianini an interesting player. After all, he is only 24 years old, a likely depth option, and he should end up being signed for just €10m anyway. Moreover, he seems like just the type of odd player that can turn into something at Atalanta—and nowhere else. Still, Brescianini seems like an option for the double pivot for Atalanta, and with his struggles off the ball and in buildup, I really don’t love this signing for them. But if I’m eventually proven wrong, I won’t be shocked. Rather, I’m curious to see what Brescianini becomes, if that ends up being the outcome.
Matt O’Riley (€24m)
Celtic’s Matt O’Riley seems to be Atalanta’s number one option to replace Teun Koopmeiners, and I think this is an incredibly exciting idea. O’Riley already turns 24 in November and still only plays in the SPFL, but he has undoubtedly shown enough to warrant a move to a competitive side in the top five leagues. Especially when put under the wings of Gian Piero Gasperini, I think Matt O’Riley could be lethal. In fact he was already lethal in Scotland last year. O’Riley is a midfielder, but he’s a very suitable option to replace Teun Koopmeiners, because although he’s hardly a traditional number 10, he primarily excels in attack. In his first season at Celtic, he showed some glimpses of this, amassing five non-penalty goal contributions in 10.5 90s, which improved to 15 non-penalty goal contributions in 27.9 90s the following season, but it was last season that he had his explosive breakout, with a 29 non-penalty goal contributions in 36.0 90s in the SPFL (via FBref). Stylistically, O’Riley is different from Koopmeiners, as he’s more agile and mobile, has a greater turning radius, and is generally a more refined technician, but this can be seen as trivial for Atalanta’s purposes, because in practice he is essentially the same as Koopmeiners; he isn’t particularly impactful in buildup, but is rather an end product machine. What O’Riley’s more refined game does mean, in contrast to Koopmeiners, is that he is a different type of creator; while Koopmeiners is a more aggressive creator—through crosses and long-range passing—O’Riley is more methodical—often threading the needle and picking out perfectly timed grounded passes into small pockets of space. In any case, they both largely operate in wider areas—be it the half-space or around the touchline—and their respective ranges of passing are extremely valuable in the final third. In fact, there are obviously times when Koopmeiners’ creativity is more precise and careful, and times when O’Riley’s creativity is more direct. On top of this, O’Riley is a huge goal threat, as is well-exemplified by his 16 non-penalty league goals last season. Just like Koopmeiners, O’Riley is a very dangerous shooter from distance, but more importantly he has a propensity to getting into dangerous areas in the box, which should make him a greater goal threat—assuming this quality can translate to the Serie A. O’Riley is also a relentless presser and a skilled ball-winner, which completes him as the prototypical Teun Koopmeiners replacement. Perhaps he is even better than Koopmeiners? The only reason why I doubt that is that O’Riley plays in a considerably stronger league, but I am an enormous fan of his game and I think this would be a phenomenal signing for Atalanta.
Nicolò Zaniolo (€6.4m loan with option/conditional obligation to buy)
In recent years I have written a good bit about Zaniolo, and I have gone back and fourth in my assessments of him as a player. Of course, everything changed with the injuries, and although it doesn’t seem like he has been plagued by highs and lows since his most recent major injury, my opinion on him has changed a lot in that span. At times I have been a defender of Zaniolo, claiming that he wasn’t who he once was, but that he was still good. At other times I have felt like it maybe just is as simple as injuries having ruined his career. In fact that has mostly been my perspective over the past year, but if Atalanta see something in him, then I am willing to give him another chance. The gist of my Nicolò Zaniolo opinion is this: yes, the injuries changed him as they forced him to put on more weight, making him considerably more sluggish and immobile, but this did also make him a stronger and more powerful player, which opened up for new, intriguing possibilities—especially as parts of his technical ability remained. The last time I was hopeful about Zaniolo, something that really interested me was his output from his most recent “full” season, in 2021–22. Among attacking midfielders and wingers in Serie A that season, he ranked in the 80th percentile for progressive carries per 90, the 90th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, and the 83rd percentile for npxG per 90—in a team that struggled with chance creation at that. He ended up with a shockingly poor three non-penalty goal contributions in the league that season, but that was largely a matter of poor finishing, which could very well have been the result of a lack of confidence, as Zaniolo has shown many glimpses of great ball-striking in recent years. I hoped that Zaniolo could remain a dangerous ball-carrier and dribbler—although not as effective of one due to the effects of his injuries—while transforming into a goal threat in the final third, as opposed to more of a creator. Admittedly it has only really gone down from there, but I don’t exclude that a great situation could turn things around for Zaniolo, and Atalanta is just that. We know Gasperini is a formidable attacking coach, and we’ve recently seen him turn Charles De Ketelaere’s career around, which certainly bodes well for Zaniolo’s future. Is he going to turn into the player he was supposed to become? Absolutely not, and the reason why is that the injuries have fundamentally changed him. On the other hand, I do think he could be reborn into a good– or even great player—if the former, then he only projects to be a rotational option anyway. This is about as good of a “hear me out”-signing as you’ll find.
Depth chart
Expenditure: €102.4m
Income: €115.75m
Net spend: €13.35m
Unmentioned signings (loans made permanent):
- Charles De Ketelaere (€22m)
Unmentioned sales/departures:
- Nicolò Cambiaghi (€10m)
- Caleb Okoli (€12m)
- Duván Zapata (€5.6m)
- Ebrima Colley (€1.65m)
- Giuseppe Di Serio (€1.5m)
- José Luis Palomino (Free)
- Giorgio Cittadini (Dry loan)
The cycle continues, Atalanta lives
We shouldn’t undersell how great what Atalanta have done over the last decade is—it may not quite be the story that 2015–16 Leicester was, but it means more because it tells us something about the state of football; what is and what isn’t possible. In many ways I remain cynical and pessimistic towards the current direction of football as well as its current state—Atalanta’s success story doesn’t change how unfair this game is, and how that issue is only changing for the worse. However, Atalanta’s story does tell us that success is possible for any club. Is it likely? By no means, but sporting competence really can lead you a long way. Atalanta’s success isn’t a story of a mere flash in the pan—the regime that is responsible for their initial meteoric rise has changed drastically, yet Atalanta remain as stable as ever. The club has been completely and utterly transformed, they just won a major trophy, and I really do think that their 2019–20 peak is incredibly significant—sure, they didn’t win the scudetto, but they really should have. If Atalanta can achieve this, who says a club like Hellas Verona can’t? Are we sure that Hellas Verona cannot win a scudetto in the future? In fact, what excuse do Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina have for remaining mediocre? Sure, they are absolutely disadvantaged compared to Juventus, Milan and Inter, but they are also behind a club that has overcome way worse odds. Again, there is a fine line here: I’m not scolding Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina for not being powerhouses of Italian football, but I do want to emphasize that they are capable of much more—look at what Atalanta have achieved under considerably worse circumstances. Atalanta should not just be a source of inspiration in Italian football, but for clubs all over the world. Look no further, they have the blueprint.
