Maurizio Sarri has been appointed as the new manager of Atalanta, the club confirmed on Monday. The move comes after Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure following nine seasons in charge of the Bergamo-based club.
Sarri arrives at Atalanta with a remit to continue the club’s recent success, though a tactical shift is anticipated. Atalanta are planning a move to a four-man defence, a departure from Gasperini’s favoured three-at-the-back system, and are reportedly prepared to invest up to €100 million in the transfer market. The club, owned by Antonio and Luca Percassi, are aiming to re-establish themselves as Serie A frontrunners.
Sarri most recently managed Lazio, whom he left at the end of the 2023-24 season. During his time in Rome, he secured Champions League qualification and won the Coppa Italia in 2023, but his tenure was often marked by tactical rigidity and strained relationships with players. Prior to Lazio, Sarri gained prominence at Napoli, where he implemented a possession-based style of play that challenged Juventus’ dominance, and at Chelsea, where he won the Europa League in 2019.
Atalanta finished eighth in Serie A last season, missing out on European qualification. The appointment of Sarri, alongside the arrival of sporting director Giovanni Giuntoli, signals a clear intention to build on the club’s established infrastructure and challenge for a return to the Champions League. Giuntoli, formerly of Napoli and Juventus, joined Atalanta earlier this month and will oversee the club’s transfer strategy. The combination of the Percassi ownership, Sarri’s tactical expertise, and Giuntoli’s recruitment acumen is expected to be central to Atalanta’s resurgence.
The club is hoping to quickly return to the stability and success they enjoyed under Gasperini, who guided them to a historic Champions League quarter-final in 2020. Sarri’s arrival represents a significant change in direction for Atalanta, and his ability to adapt his methods to the club’s existing strengths will be crucial to their future ambitions.
