Atalanta Club Focus: Stars of tomorrow

Date: 5th April 2013 at 12:03am
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Atalanta have established themselves as a selling club, mainly thanks to the impressive assortment of talented young players that have rolled off their Primavera production line.

Although it has not only been youngsters that have moved on to bigger clubs, a countless amount of stars have used the Bergamo team as a stepping stone to kick start their careers.

Whoever leaves the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia during the summer will no doubt have to be replaced and with the season slowly drawing to a close and very little excitement surrounding the Nerazzurri this week’s Club Focus will take a look at some of the La Dea prospects that may be given their chance in the senior side next season.

One player that is likely to be a regular in the Orobici first team next season will be their highly rated goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. The 26- year old talented shot stopper had been tipped for a big move to either of the Milan clubs or Fiorentina in recent weeks and there was no secret that his contract was due for renewal at the end of the season. However only last week Atalanta managed to secure his services until 2016 after he signed a new deal.

Consigli has been practically an ever-present performer for the Nerazzurri this season having only missed one game. In his absence Ciro Polito, 33, was selected ahead of Giorgio Frezzolini, 37,  but both understudies are not getting any younger .There has even been murmurs that Polito is looking to move clubs to enable him to play more first team football before he hangs up his gloves.

One man that will be looking to be next in line to Consigli’s jersey next season will be 21-year-old Simone Colombi. Currently on loan at Modena, Colombi has managed to establish himself as a first team regular for the Canarini while keeping nine clean sheets in 30 games. His fine form in Serie B has not only helped Modena all but survive a relegation battle, but it has also earned him four call ups to the Italy under-21 squad this season. He picked up his first cap after coming on as a second half substitute during their 1-0 win over the Ukraine last month.

Colombi is not alone at Modena as fellow La Dea team mate Matteo Ardemagni is also there on loan. With 18 goals to his name the 26-year old is currently joint top scorer in Serie B and is really setting Serie B alight. 

This is not the first time that the striker has found a rich run of scoring form in Serie B, during the 2009/2010 season Ardemagni netted an impressive 22 goals while playing for Cittadella. However scoring goals in Serie A is a whole different ball game and with forwards like German Denis and Maximiliano Moralez ahead of him Ardemagni will really have to prove himself at the highest level should he hope to see any first team action for La Dea next season.

One thing that has played a major part of Atalanta’s turbulent campaign has been their poor defensive qualities and lack of youth available across the back.

Twenty-year-old right full back Alberto Almici has been on loan at Virtus Lanciano and although he has not had the most memorable of seasons, he has managed to gain some valuable first team experience with 22 Serie B appearances to his name to date.

Although yet another loan spell is more likely for Almici next season should he stay in Bergamo he will no doubt bring youth and a modern approach to La Dea’s ageing defence.

One final Orobici player that is out on loan and is well worth looking out for next season is 23-year-old Ivorian midfielder Moussa Kone.

During pre-season Kone featured heavily in Atalanta’s friendly matches and was widely tipped to be breaking into the fringes of the La Dea first team over the course of the season. However, for some reason the powers that be in Bergamo felt that a loan move to Varese would be a better move for all parties. The tireless central midfielder has scored four times this season and has created three goals from 23 appearances for the Leopardi.

Kone joined Varese as part of a deal that saw Giuseppe De Luca go in the opposite direction and should Atalanta wish to keep the pacey young forward Varese would no doubt want to keep Kone as part of the final transfer.

There are also two talented young strikers making a name for them selves in the Primavera. Davide Cais has been an ever present throughout the campaign scoring 13 goal from 22 games, while Doudou Mangni has scored eight times from 18 appearances.

Mangni has also not only impressing with his goal scoring ability, he also posses a great deal of skill and is never shy to try an eccentric trick or two during game.

While Cais and Mangni have been working their magic up front, Alex Redolfi and Luca Melesi have been keeping things tight in the centre of defence.

Countless times this season Primavera coach Walter Bonacina has gone on record claiming that his defensive pairing have showed a great deal of maturity in their play for such young individuals.

The future of some more familiar names will also be decided during the close season with De Luca, Igor Budan, Luigi Giorgi, Davide Biondini, Facundo Parra, Manolo Gabbiadini, Luca Cigarini and Federico Peluso all to have their respective co-ownership or loan deals finalised.

Follow Clark on Twitter: @LaDeaLive and be sure to check out ladealive as well.

 

One response to “Atalanta Club Focus: Stars of tomorrow”

  1. AP says:

    De Luca should get more playing time.