TRANSFER MARKET. White smoke around the corner: a deal worth 15 million plus bonuses. The 26-year-old will play in front of the defense in the 4-3-3 with two new mezzalas.
Read more Atalanta, announced the staff of mister Sarri
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Atalanta hits the play button: Gianluca Gaetano is arriving, the playmaker Sarri needs. He will most likely be the first signing of the summer market: this has been the impression for a couple of weeks, but it is now finally about to become reality.
Operation worth about 15 million
The two clubs have been in contact for some time and there has always been some optimism, but to almost completely bridge the gap between asking price and offer, the latest talks were needed: initially Cagliari wanted 20 million and Atalanta offered about half, then they got closer and the handshake should come around 15 million, including bonuses.
The white smoke has not yet appeared, but it is around the corner: once the last details are settled, the deal will be closed. At this point, however, everything seems to push in that direction. The agreement between Atalanta and the Neapolitan player is already there: ready a four-year contract worth 1.4 million per season, roughly double what he earns at Cagliari. A deal that makes everyone happy: the Nerazzurri find the playmaker Sarri needs, the Sardinians make a capital gain after having redeemed the player from Napoli a year ago for just over 6 million.
For the start of training
Atalanta had the idea of bringing the player already to the gathering on Monday, July 6: time is tight and it is not very likely that the official announcement will come already today, Sunday the 5th, because it is more likely that the signing will slip to tomorrow. It would be a simple detail: closing soon, Sarri would have his playmaker for the start of training, set for Thursday the 9th. Or in any case he would have him for most of the preparation: this is a fundamental factor, since the Nerazzurri’s football will change a lot and key roles must be built during summer training.
The most important piece was precisely that of the playmaker, which Atalanta has not known for a decade: Gasperinism had abolished it and the last player with such characteristics was Cigarini, who left in 2016.
Quality in midfield
The midfield thus gains quality: not only more running and muscle, but also creativity. And there is again a man in the low pivot: Gaetano would play in front of the defense in the 4-3-3, with two mezzalas who will probably be bought on the market (meanwhile there are Pasalic and a Samardzic who can be adapted), which will bring a total of three to four men in the middle. Meanwhile, Ederson and Musah have already said goodbye.
The Neapolitan – twenty-six years old – has always been an attacking midfielder, but he transformed into a playmaker in the last six months, when Pisacane, on the suggestion of sporting director Angelozzi, tried him in the new position. An evolution like Pirlo’s, for the man chosen to give quality to Atalanta. Playmakers are now rare and it was not easy to find one: the last invention is the one that conquered Giuntoli and Sarri, who immediately put the Cagliari player and the Milan player Jashari at the top of the list.
