Serie A

A NEW WINGER FOR ATALANTA

Kamaldeen Sulemana is the first signing of this summer for La Dea. The Ghanaian winger leaves Southampton to reunite with Ivan Jurić following their journey together in the Premier League.

Atalanta kick off their summer transfer window with a signing renowned for his athletic and technical skills: Kamaldeen Sulemana, an attacking winger born in 2002, joins the Nerazzurri. After his time playing for Southampton in England, where he crossed paths with Ivan Jurić, he is now ready to harness his potential in Serie A. The Bergamo-based outfit’s investment is future-focused, while also addressing their present needs. They have taken a chance on a player who is already accustomed to high-intensity international matches and ready to adapt to Atalanta’s system.

FROM GHANA TO EUROPE: THE RIGHT TO DREAM

Kamaldeen Sulemana’s football journey began in Ghana with the Right to Dream Academy, a pipeline for emerging footballers, owned by the Emirati Mansour Group, who also own Manchester City and Palermo. When he turned 18, he moved to Denmark to join FC Nordsjælland, where he stood out for his speed and dribbling, evolving from a central striker to a left winger. Across two seasons in Denmark, he delivered 14 goals and five assists, earning him a move to Stade Rennais in Ligue 1. He immediately had a sensational impact for the club: four goals and two assists in his first three months. However, he was forced to miss the remaining season due to a back injury sustained after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. He transferred to Southampton in the Premier League in January of the following year. Even with his contribution of two goals and one assist across 18 appearances, the club were still relegated. The following season proved even tougher: although the Saints secured promotion, Sulemana ended the campaign without a goal.

His latest Premier League season concluded with another relegation. But it was in this challenging environment that the Ghanaian met Jurić, who had been brought in mid-season and immediately recognised Sulemana’s potential, giving him 20 appearances. It was at this point that Jurić’s decision to bring Sulemana with him to Italy emerged.

WHAT SULEMANA BRINGS TO ATALANTA: DYNAMISM AND RAW TALENT

As a winger, Sulemana prefers to start on the left and cut inside onto his dominant right foot. His signature move is the one-on-one: he thrives on his speed, sharp dribbling, and quick decision-making, aiming to break at the defence, produce numerical advantages, and open up space for teammates’ runs.

Finishing is still an area for improvement, but his technical and physical potential is clear. The Ghanaian can also play on the opposite flank, as an attacking midfielder, or, if needed, as a false nine, though his best position is on the left wing. This move by the Percassi family mirrors that of Ademola Lookman, who came to Bergamo from the Premier League with a modest goal return but was subsequently transformed into one of Europe’s most effective attacking wingers by Gasperini. Now it falls on Jurić’s shoulders to polish another diamond in the rough, continuing the technical and developmental legacy passed down by his mentor. Will Gasperini’s successor succeed in reinstating the blend of talent and discipline that has fuelled Atalanta’s success in recent years? (Photo Getty Images + X Atalanta)