Gian Piero Gasperini did not hold back in sharing his disappointment at Atalanta’s approach to the summer transfer window, insisting that his team are ‘much less competitive’ than they were at the end of last season, just days out from their UEFA Super Cup clash against Real Madrid.
The Atalanta coach revealed that star playmaker Teun Koopmeiners has decided to join Juventus, and that he is indefinitely no longer training with the first team.
La Dea have also lost Italy internationals Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini to cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and both are set to be sidelined for a considerable chunk of the 2024-25 campaign.
Atalanta, however, do have a medical scheduled on Thursday for Azzurri striker Mateo Retegui. The club reached an agreement with Genoa on Wednesday evening, possibly after Gasperini gave his interview to l’Eco di Bergamo.
The club have also welcomed Ben Godfrey this summer, as well as Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasaray, Ibrahim Soulemana from Cagliari, plus the permanent acquisition of Charles De Ketelaere following his loan spell last season.
Gasperini: ‘Atalanta much less competitive than end of last season’
Gasperini warned that the current Atalanta team, factoring in injuries, is in worse shape than when they defeated then-unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final back in May.
“It’s inevitable that it’s turned out like this, but at this moment, the season has already become complicated,” the coach told l’Eco di Bergamo.
“We’ve had two very serious injuries, two cruciate ligaments in practically three games with Scalvini and Scamacca. And then the Koopmeiners situation. Three technically gifted and economically valuable players for the team and club.”
He hopes to have more additions in place before the end of the month, particularly with a big test against Real Madrid coming up next week.
“It’s been a market where things haven’t gone as we’d expected. We hope that some things can happen before August 31.
“Honestly, I’d hoped to find myself going into a game as important as the European Super Cup with more of a defined and settled team, having improved with new additions after the Europa League final victory.
“But instead, at this moment, we are down to the minimum, even if I am sure that the club will provide in some way before the end of August.”
Gasperini also made sure to point out Atalanta’s tricky start to the 2024-25 Serie A season.
“But in the meantime, we have a friendly tomorrow, the Super Cup next Wednesday and three away games in the first three matches in the league, with a team that is much less competitive than it was at the end of last season.”