SOCCER. The words of the new signing and the Nerazzurri sporting director on the club’s market.
Read more Atalanta, the mini subscriptions to the Conference League
Reading 1 min.
«Atalanta was a choice of the heart, the club offers me a lot on a human level as well as technical. Qualification for the Champions League? Here we fight for everything». Franck Kessié reappears in Nerazzurri colors 9 years after the last time: «I left at twenty, I was still a child. Now I return almost thirty, as a mature man. We fight for the Scudetto, for the Conference League, for the Champions. For me Bergamo is the first city in Europe when I left at 18 from Ivory Coast. I learned to play as a professional».
«It was like coming back home, I am at Sarri’s disposal who is a great coach and knows where to use me. Mezzala or defensive midfielder makes no difference to me», reiterates the midfielder born in ’96 who was released by Al-Ahli. «At the World Cup I found a part of Bergamo in the National Team. When I was here Diallo was in the youth teams, Kossounou I have known since we were teammates precisely in the National Team. It was the first time for all of us at the World Cup, a great experience». Finally, on the choice: «Atalanta fulfilled a childhood dream of mine. With respect and gratitude returning here after eleven years was an obligatory choice, from the heart, but I also have to prove myself on the field. The fans in Bergamo are always passionate, they make you go three times as much».
The words of Giuntoli
«The squad was already competitive and we improved it. Ambition leads me to say that first you have to find a clear and strong identity, then you will understand which goals to set». The sporting director of Atalanta, Cristiano Giuntoli, comments on the transfer market of Maurizio Sarri’s new era on the bench: «We are convinced he is the right man to start a new cycle. But the transition from a man-oriented approach to a ball-oriented one is neither easy nor immediate». Giuntoli reviews the summer signings.
Read more Yara’s passion: the tournament from September 11 to 13
«We started from a top, an Italian playmaker like Gaetano, we moved to Kristensen after the unexpected and wanted farewell from Djimsiti – he continues -. Elmas can cover multiple roles in the 4-3-3 with a ball-oriented approach. De Roon asked us to go to Roma and we rushed for Franck Kessie thanks to the great trust and esteem he has with CEO Luca Percassi.
Rowe, a profile more ready immediately compared to a name like Alajbegovic about whom we had gathered information, is the last piece of the puzzle to give us quality in the final third in a high-level offensive department». Finally, again on Kessie: «Franck is a complete midfielder who has the physical and technical qualities to play as a mezzala or as a playmaker. For us he is a cornerstone on which to build the new Atalanta».
Read more Red to Gaetano: sent off because he was passing by
