After a positive first half of the 2015-16 Serie A campaign, Conor Clancy believes the January blues are well and truly in full effect in Bergamo.
Just a couple of days before the mid-season transfer window opened, Atalanta announced that their diminutive Argentine, Maxi Moralez, was leaving the club to join Mexican outfit, Club Leon. Since his departure, his absence has been felt in the starting XI, with Marco D’Alessandro taking his place in the side, as well as Edy Reja opting for a systematic change in La Dea’s most recent outing against high-flying Inter.
It was thought by most who occupy the Curva Pisani and the surrounding stands that El Frasquito’s absence would be sorely felt. Unfortunately, these concerns appear to have been proven true, with the Bergamo-based side still seeking their first win since the Christmas break, having lost against both Udinese and Genoa respectively before picking up a point against Inter.
More than being a huge loss to the team, Moralez’s absence would likely have proven to hit German Denis harder than most. The two shared an inseparable bond on the pitch; a little and large combination that regularly combined to the sheer delight of the Curva Nord. More often than not when Denis netted, it was Maxi who provided the assist.
Sadly, it now appears as though this is a theory that will not be given the time to be proven right or wrong. El Tanque looks set to follow his compatriot out of Bergamo, and possibly even to Mexico, too, though Argentina appears to be the more likely destination for the 34-year-old.
What’s more: Alberto Grassi and Marco Sportiello could yet see a change of scenery before the month’s end. Napoli are thought to be favourites to land the former, over competition from Fiorentina and AC Milan, with the Partenopei also considering tabling an offer for Atalanta’s ‘keeper.
Should the two move on from the Orobici, they will become just the latest in a long production line of exciting talent to graduate from the Lombard club. Both Daniele Baselli and Davide Zappacosta moved to Torino last summer, with the former going on to impress in his early appearances, even attracting claims for him to receive an Azzurri call-up from Antonio Conte.
This production line is no new trend, either. Riccardo Montolivo, Giacomo Bonaventura, Giampaolo Pazzini, Simone Zaza and even Manolo Gabbiadini have all graduated from the club’s youth academy in relatively recent times. Even Sportiello’s predecessor, Andrea Consigli, provides evidence that the academy nurtures talent between the sticks as well as further outfield.
Atalanta are quite a rarity in Italy in that they expose their young players to what seems like the perfect amount of first-team football.
Though La Dea are no strangers to replacing the young talent they nurture and then sell, this current crop of players had gelled quite well and for some time, they looked as though they could break into the top half of the Serie A table. This potential exodus could provide Edy Reja with a more challenging task than he and his forebearers have faced before.
When Consigli left, Sportiello was a ready-made replacement, as was Grassi with Baselli. This time, the backup goalkeeper is a 30-year-old Davide Bassi, while the midfielders on the starting XI’s periphery are Giulio Migliaccio, Jasmin Kurtic and Carlos Carmona, to name but a few.
Tiziano Tulissi is just one name who is seemingly on the verge of earning a place in Reja’s plans. The 18-year-old has featured 11 times for the club’s Primavera this season, finding himself on the scoresheet on nine occasions, as well as laying on one assist for his team-mates. Andrea Conti another; the 21-year-old has broken into the side twice already this campaign, but in his position of full-back, appears to be more of a delayed replacement for Zappacosta than a potential successor for Grassi or Sportiello.
The boys from Bergamo are well-versed in replacing lost talent, but this potential clearout could present the club with a more daunting obstacle.
