Atalanta has completed a complex transfer deal involving four players, with Ibrahim Sulemana joining the Bergamo-based club from Cagliari, while three Atalanta players move in the opposite direction.
The centerpiece of this multi-player transaction is the acquisition of Ghanaian midfielder Sulemana for €8 million. The 21-year-old impressed during his debut season with Cagliari, making 21 league appearances and scoring two goals. His performances also earned him a call-up to the Ghana national team.
As part of the deal, Atalanta has sold full-back Nadir Zortea to Cagliari for approximately €5 million. Zortea, a 25-year-old product of Atalanta’s youth academy, had made 17 Serie A appearances for La Dea, scoring two goals.
Additionally, two more Atalanta players will be joining Cagliari on loan deals. Centre-forward Roberto Piccoli moves to Sardinia on a €2 million loan with an option to buy set at €10 million at the end of the season. Midfielder Michel Ndary Adopo, who joined Atalanta as a free agent last year from Torino, will also spend the season with Cagliari on a free loan. The Sardinian club has an option to make Adopo’s move permanent, though the financial details of this arrangement are yet to be fully disclosed.
This intricate transfer arrangement allows both clubs to strengthen their squads while balancing their financial commitments. For Atalanta, the acquisition of Sulemana represents a significant reinforcement to their midfield, while Cagliari gains experienced Serie A players to bolster their squad for the upcoming season.
A statement on the clubs official website confirmed the news:
“Atalanta BC announces to have acquired permanently from Cagliari Calcio the right to the sporting performances of the player Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari, 21-year-old Ghanaian midfielder with already two Serie A championships behind him.
Born in Sunyani, on May 22, 2003, he was launched into Italian football by Hellas Verona with whom, after a positive season in the youth team, he made his Serie A debut on October 9, 2022 in the match on the field of Salernitana, taking the place of Veloso twenty minutes from the end. In the yellow and blue shirt he collected 17 appearances, including the playoff for staying in Serie A played as a starter and won against Spezia.
In the summer of 2023 he moved to Cagliari who acquired him permanently. In the red and blue shirt he played a total of 24 matches (21 in the league and 3 in the Italian Cup), also contributing with two goals (the first scored at the end of January against Frosinone, the second at the beginning of April against Hellas Verona) to achieving safety.
At the end of the season, precisely on June 6, he also made his debut in the National team in Ghana’s victorious away match against Mali in a qualifying match for the next World Cup.
The Percassi family, the Pagliuca family and the entire Club extend a warm welcome to Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari, wishing him the best satisfaction – personal and team – in the black and blue shirt.”
