Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric says Ghanaian winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is brimming with raw talent but insists there is still work to be done to refine the 23-year-old into a top-level Serie A attacker.
The former Southampton forward joined the Italian side earlier this month in a deal worth up to £18 million and has already linked up with Juric, who previously coached him during a brief stint in England.
“He is not the finished product,” Juric told Atalanta’s in-house media after watching Sulemana play in a pre-season friendly against the club’s U-23 side. “But he really wants to grow, and that’s the most important thing.”
The Ghana international has signed a four-year contract, with an option for a further year, and is expected to add pace and flair to Atalanta’s frontline as they prepare for a challenging 2025/26 campaign.
“Today, he showed some good things, acceleration, energy, and some sharp shots,” Juric noted. “He’s got that natural speed and drive that can cause problems for any defence. Now it’s about refining the details.”
Sulemana’s transfer marks a new chapter in a career that has already taken him from Nordsjælland to Rennes, then to Southampton, and now to Bergamo. While his time in the Premier League was mixed, his new manager is convinced the winger still has significant upside.
Atalanta begin their Serie A season on 24 August with a home tie against newly promoted Pisa. Fans will be watching closely to see how quickly the Ghanaian star adapts to Italian football, and whether Juric’s belief in his development pays off.
For now, Sulemana appears determined to rise to the challenge. And with a familiar face in his manager, he just might be in the right place to fulfil the promise that once made him one of Africa’s most exciting young talents.
