An Integral Part Of Atalanta's Resurgence: Giovanni Sartori

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Giovanni Sartori has changed the face of the club since becoming Atlanta Sporting Director in 2014. Making the club a regular top four contender from the mid-table side it was. The La Dea are playing in the Champions League for three times in a row. Alongside this, Atalanta have played two consecutive coppa Italia finals. Although much credit must be given to coach Gian Piero Gasperini for Atlanta's success and exciting football, the credit is not due just for Gasperini, but for Sartori too. But Sartori is leaving Atlanta after a rift with Gasperini. With whom he shared eight years of acquaintance. But the work he has done in these 8 years is really commendable. Let's see some of his best signings.

The first person to be named would be Papu Gomez, one of the first signings of the Sartori era. He brought Papu Gomez from kharkiv of Ukraine to Atalanta for about 4.5 million euros. Before leaving Atlanta for Sevilla, Gomez took himself to the status of an Atlanta legend, scoring 131+ goals assists in 250+ matches.

Then came Gomez's partner in crime, Josep Ilicic. Since coming to Atlanta from Fiorentina in 2017/18 at just 6.4 million euros, he has played 172 matches so far, including 104+ goals assists. Colombian Duvan Zapata is Trident's third end. He played alongside Ilicic and Gomez. The striker, who joined Atlanta for 26 million, he paid back his price with his performance, contributing 116 goals in 157 appearances and is also Atlanta's top scorer this season. The club bought Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon for just 2 million, bringing him back to Atlanta once when he left for the Premier League, De Roon is now Atlanta's vice-captain. Another midfielder, Ruslan Malinovskiy, costed just 18 million to buy. And Malinovskiy is now one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. Mario Pasalic, Remo Freuler were also brought in for for a bargain. This season they have also brought Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners to just 14 million. The two wingbacks, Hans Hateboer and Robin Gosens, have long been spreading panic in the Serie A. Hateboer is still in

Atlanta who came in just for 1 million of a fee. While Inter Milan bought Gosens in January for 20 million euros who was first brought to the club for a measly 2 million fee. Defender Berat Gjimshiti came on a free transfer from Zurich, has long been a key player in the Atlanta defense, with captain and center back Rafael Toloi being brought in just 2 million from Sao Paulo. This season, the club has brought in Argentine keeper Juan Musso with 20 million. Then the club has brought Jeremy Boga, one of the best winger in Serie A, on loan + buy option. Not only did he build the squad, but Sartori was also very successful in keeping the club's balance by buying players at low prices and selling at high prices.

In the last few years, the club has earned 150m + only by selling academy players. Frank Kessie (32m), Dejan Kulusevski (40m), Andrea Conti (24m), Musa Barrow (13m), Amad Diallo (40m), Alessandro Bastoni (31m), Roberto Gagliardini (22m) and Mattia Caldara (15m) were all Academy graduates who were later sold at various clubs at good prices. After bringing Gianluca Mancini to 2 million and selling to Roma for 28 million, buying Timothy Castagne at 6.5 million and selling to Leicester at 20m, swapping Christian Romero at 16 million then to Spurs at 55m. Atalanta under Sartori did some serious business. Sartori is as good as tactician as Gasperini is because of the fact that there has been no loss in the club's game on and off the field despite buying and selling so many players.

The Atlanta owners have always held coach Gasperini in high esteem and regarded him as the most important part of the club's project, so Gomez had to take the axe when he had a rift with Gasperini. And this time Sartori is leaving for the same reason. Another Serie A club, Bologna, as well as Serie B club Parma, who are trying to rebuild the club, have already shown interest in taking Sartori.