The new Atalanta. Samardzic relaunches. Juric focuses on the Serbian. Ilic idea in midfield with Sulemana

BERGAMO

In Ivan Juric's new Atalanta, Lazar Samardzic will play a leading role, having just been bought outright from Udinese for 20 million. The Serbian playmaker born in 2002 is called upon to redeem himself after a first season in the Nerazzurri that was below par. Two decisive autumnal highlights against Bologna and Monza, a goal in the Champions League. Then, with the arrival of the cold, the former Udinese player froze, without waking up in the spring. His last goal was in mid-December in the Coppa Italia, in the 6-1 against Cesena. A season with 44 appearances and 5 goals, but in 2025 the Serbian never made an impact, ending up falling out of Gasperini's rotation.

Now he will have a new opportunity with Juric who could insert another Serbian in midfield: 24-year-old Ivan Ilic, launched by the Croatian coach when he was just 19 in Verona in 2020, his praetorian first on the banks of the Adige and then for two and a half years in Turin. Ilic is being monitored as an alternative in the event of Ederson's departure, but also as a midfielder to rejuvenate the department, considering De Roon's 34th birthday in March. Meanwhile, rumors of Atalanta's enquiries for the Ghanaian offensive winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, born in 2002, a prospect that Juric coached last year in his unfortunate spell at Southampton, are bouncing around the British press.