Juventus: What does a move to Atalanta mean for Gianluca Frabotta?

When a player or sometimes a legend becomes the manager of his former club, he is often seen putting faith in some of the promising talents within the club’s academy and youth teams. The same did happen to Juventus when Andrea Pirlo was at the helm. He, overcoming hesitation, included some of the fresh faces from the academy to the senior squad and then went to put hope and towering responsibilities on those young shoulders.

Signed from Bologna in 2019, Gianluca Frabotta was one of the selected young members who benefited heavily from the abrupt appointment of Pirlo as Juve’s manager. As per the stats from Transfermakt, Frabotta notched 686 minutes of Serie A action last season, amassing a tremendous amount of experience under his belt. Not only did he make his debut for Juve’s first team, but he also registered his first assist and a Champions League appearance during the 2020/2021 campaign.

Playing as a backup for the Bianconeri’s first-choice left-back Alex Sandro, Frabotta showed flashes of his juvenile mettle. Some thought that he could be the torchbearer for Juventus in the future, only to realise a few months later that it might’ve been an unfathomed illusion.

Yes, Gianluca Frabotta is leaving Juventus…

According to a report from Calciomercato.com, Gianluca Frabotta’s impending move to Atalanta is close to fulfilment, with the last details of the deal left to be finalised.

The report claims that Atalanta have beaten Genoa, who were once the favourites to win the fray for the 22-year-old Italian, to the signing of the talented full-back. Sources close to the deal have revealed that this could be a one-year loan with an obligation to redeem the player’s services at the end of the loan spell.

They have also insisted that the deal could be made official within the next few days, if not in the next few hours. This deal would, thus, put an end to Frabotta’s two-year stay in Turin.

What does it mean for Gianluca Frabotta?

Over the last few years, Atalanta have managed to sneak into the podium of the Italian footballing landscape. They are now highly venerated across the continent for their cunning transfer strategies, delightful style of playing football under the guidance of Gian Piero Gasperini, and frequent involvements in the Champions League. Frabotta could only be availed from a move of this calibre.

Calciomercato reports that the Rome-born defender has been signed to cover the back of Atalanta’s first-choice left full-back Robin Gosens. But considering the track record of Gasperini, chances are much higher that Frabotta would be able to break into the starting line-up of Atalanta more frequently than what he might be able to do at Juventus.

What does Frabotta’s departure mean to Juventus’ future ambition?

If reports surrounding the Turin-based club are believed to be true, Juventus are keen on making just one signing — the capture of Manuel Locatelli. Everything else seems irrelevant to them. Should not they buy a replacement for Frabotta then? They should, but they may not go down that road this summer.

Speaking of left-back targets, the names of Ramy Bensebaini and Mitchel Bakker, who is a client of Mino Raiola, have been mentioned across different outlets in different languages. But, nothing has reached the point where the vibes of a possible deal become apparent. Hence, it is not worth dwelling on the stories and wasting our precious time.

Meanwhile, Luca Pellegrini has returned to Juventus, having finished his one-year loan spell at Genoa. The stats from Transfermarkt show that Pellegrini played 638 minutes of football over the course of 11 appearances in Serie A last season. Juventus signed Pelligrini in what was a deal involving Leonardo Spinazzola— a breakout Euro 2020 star — plus cash in 2019.

Massimiliano Allegri has the option of either utilising Pellegrini’s talent, considering that Alex Sandro is going to keep his place as the club’s first-choice left-back, or finding a replacement for Frabotta as the transfer window is ajar. That said, only time will unfold what is in Juve’s newly-hired gaffer’s mind.