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According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia), Atalanta have beaten Fiorentina to the signature of Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic. The Croatian international had been a Fiorentina target since June, but they did their best dilly-dallying Chelsea impression, which gave Atalanta the opportunity to swoop in.
Talks with Fiorentina and Mario Pasalic broke down last week when they didn't offer him enough game time. Since then talks with Atalanta started and have been agreed. Loan with a option to buy #CFC
— CarefreeYouth (@CarefreeYouth) July 17, 2018
The deal is expected to be the customary “loan-to-buy” arrangement, carrying what is a reasonable €15m option to make the move permanent next summer.
#Atalanta, è fatta per #Pasalic: prestito e diritto di riscatto https://t.co/rLKgQWLnTB pic.twitter.com/RbJp1gr4GM
— LaGazzettadelloSport (@Gazzetta_it) July 17, 2018
In four years and zero appearances as a Chelsea player, Pasalic took a scenic tour of some of Europe’s biggest leagues, spending time at Elche in La Liga, AS Monaco in Ligue 1, AC Milan in Serie A, and Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League. His move to Russia was the only one that did not pan out in terms of playing time; he had been, more or less, a regular at all his other clubs.
Those years of experience moving all over Europe should serve well in the 23-year-old’s re-adaptation to Italy, and perhaps bring some some sense of stability to his career as well.