Atalanta’s director, Cristiano Giuntoli, recently hailed coach Maurizio Sarri as “the best signing” of the summer while downplaying rumors regarding interest in Napoli winger Noa Lang. This statement comes as La Dea prepares for their final pre-season friendly against Club Athletic Bilbao at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo this evening.

New recruit Thomas Kristensen is set to make his bench debut following a transfer from Udinese, yet the team faces challenges with Charles De Ketelaere, Honest Ahanor, and Kamaldeen Sulemana all sidelined due to injuries.

Atalanta Transforming Under Sarri

In a statement to Sky Sport Italia, Giuntoli expressed, “I’d say the best signing Atalanta made this summer is Sarri, stealing him out from under the noses of important contenders in Italy and beyond.” He further noted the importance of retaining Ederson and signing Gianluca Gaetano, highlighting the club’s strategic focus on players familiar with Italian football.

Giuntoli added, “We were ready for that and snapped up Kristensen, who is 10 years younger, because we are thinking about the future. Projects take time and patience; they must be built one brick at a time, but we’ll be alert to the very end of the market.”

Historically, Atalanta experienced nine years under Gian Piero Gasperini before exploring options with protégés Ivan Juric and Raffaele Palladino. Giuntoli suggests that Sarri’s approach marks a significant shift, specifically abandoning the three-man defense.

“It is an intriguing challenge for him,” Giuntoli stated, referencing his prior work with Sarri at Juventus. “When I discussed it with the club, they backed me all the way. It will take time and patience, but we are convinced that we can do well. We know what we want and we’ll get there.”

The club has grown accustomed to competing in the Champions League or Europa League, but they now face a Conference League play-off against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

“We want to find our identity because the strength of Atalanta in these years has been rebuilding every time. It will be a path filled with challenges, as this represents a major change in philosophy, but we are convinced that we can do well.”

Giuntoli also addressed inquiries regarding potential moves for Napoli’s Noa Lang, Como’s Assane Diao, or Cagliari’s Sebastiano Esposito, stating, “I’ll respond like this: I don’t think Raspadori, Zalewski, Sulemana, and De Ketelaere have anything to envy anyone else. We are happy with the players we have; I don’t like talking about the players of other teams.”

On reports of Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac being targeted by Schalke 04, Giuntoli maintained a diplomatic stance, saying, “Every situation needs to be evaluated when it presents itself. At this moment, nobody has asked us anything. We’ll see what can happen in the future; there’s no point talking about hypotheticals right now.”

Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli claims coach Maurizio Sarri was ‘the best signing’ of the summer, while he shrugs off reports of interest in Napoli winger Noa Lang.

La Dea are in action this evening with their final pre-season friendly, welcoming Club Athletic Bilbao to the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.

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New signing Thomas Kristensen is on the bench for the first time following his move from Udinese, but Charles De Ketelaere, Honest Ahanor and Kamaldeen Sulemana are among those out injured.

Atalanta transforming under Sarri

BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 22: Maurizio Sarri, Head Coach of Lazio, reacts during the Coppa Italia semifinal match between Atalanta BC and SS Lazio at New Balance Arena on April 22, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“I’d say the best signing Atalanta made this summer is Sarri, stealing him out from under the noses of important contenders in Italy and beyond,” director Giuntoli told Sky Sport Italia.

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“We also convinced Ederson to remain, we brought in Gianluca Gaetano because we needed a midfielder who knew Italian football well, and made Berat Djimsiti happy by letting him go after everything he had given to us over the years.

“We were ready for that and snapped up Kristensen, who is 10 years younger, because we are thinking about the future. Projects take time and patience, they must be built one brick at a time, but we’ll be alert to the very end of the market.”

Thomas Kristensen joins Atalanta and poses with directors Cristiano Giuntoli and Luca Percassi (atalanta.it)

Atalanta were under Gian Piero Gasperini for nine years, then tried to hire his protegees Ivan Juric and Raffaele Palladino, but Sarri represents a very different approach to football, not least scrapping the three-man defence.

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“It is an intriguing challenge for him,” continued Giuntoli, who had already worked with Sarri at Juventus.

“When I discussed it with the club, they backed me all the way. It will take time and patience, but we are convinced that we can do well. We know what we want and we’ll get there.”

The club had become accustomed to regular Champions League or at least Europa League football in the last few years, but this time must enter the Conference League play-off against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

“We want to find our identity, because the strength of Atalanta in these years has been rebuilding every time. It will be a path filled with challenges, because this is a big change of philosophy, but we are convinced that we can do well.”

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The Sky Sport Italia reporters asked Giuntoli about suggestions that Atalanta were pushing for Napoli winger Noa Lang, Como’s Assane Diao, or Cagliari outcast Sebastiano Esposito.

“I’ll respond like this, I don’t think Raspadori, Zalewski, Sulemana and De Ketelaere have anything to envy anyone else. We are happy with the players we have, I don’t like talking about the players of other teams.”

When it came to rumours that Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac had been approached by Schalke 04, the director was diplomatic.

“Every situation needs to be evaluated when it presents itself. At this moment, nobody has asked us anything. We’ll see what can happen in the future, there’s no point talking about hypotheticals right now,” concluded Giuntoli.