Atalanta, Sutalo of Ajax in the sights of the Goddess

There is talk of it among Dutch prosecutors and one of them is an old friend of Italy: Atalanta likes Josip Sutalo, 23 years old, Croatian, central defender of Ajax. They like him and some steps have already been taken, because the purchase of a defender (as well as a midfielder) is the number one objective of the January transfer market: in the end he could be the chosen one. The old friend is David Endt, a huge Inter fan, team manager of Ajax for years, now a prosecutor in an agency that deals with young people, between 16 and 22 years old. He lives in Amsterdam, so he follows Sutalo’s parable closely. One meter and 90 meters tall, educated feet, aware of his own quality means. Even exaggerated, he explains those who criticize him for liking himself too much at times. He could use a bit of “Gasp care”: he could add that wickedness necessary to become the top central defender that he has long promised to be.

metamorphosis

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A surname that is not new for Atalanta, but which has nothing to do with Bosko Sutalo: also a Croatian defender, an unmemorable meteoric experience with the Nerazzurri between 2020 and 2021. Very different CV and footballing standing: Sutalo that the Goddess likes, he is also a staple of the national team, since June 2022. But he also has a permanent place in Ajax: eight out of eight as a starter, and for 90 minutes, in the Eredivisie, four out of four in the Europa League. Same job, but different performance: Sutalo with Croatia is a certainty, in Ajax sometimes the stand-in for himself, almost insecure, as if lost in an environment that is not his. Very good in training, so-so in competition. Motivational question: talent is undisputed, but at 23 it is difficult to become ready-to-go leader of such a shattered group and dressing room. Because this is Ajax today, a team that is little less than in chaos: anyone would struggle. Winning policy on young people gradually disavowed, the last questionable market with useless dispersion of economic resources, and today the club finds itself reflecting on 150 million badly spent.

transferable

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This is precisely the point: Sutalo, even in January, will be considered transferable, to partially cover a significant deficit. The boy is not satisfied, the club is too, and would be ready to focus on other names: Jorrel Hato, 17, raised at home since he was 12; the Croatian Jakov Medic. In this case, we will have to work on the price: Ajax paid Dinamo Zagreb around 20 million for Sutalo and will not differ much from this figure. But in Zingonia a good budget had already been allocated for a young and promising defender in August: we can work on it, even on the transfer formula. And Atalanta is there.