Atalanta are facing a critical decision regarding the future of El Bilal Touré, who joined the club a year ago for a record fee of €31 million. After twelve months, Touré has managed to accumulate only 478 minutes of playing time across 17 appearances, averaging just 28 minutes per game.
Initially brought in to fill the significant shoes of former star Papu Gomez as the new number 10, Touré has struggled to make an impact and has primarily served as a substitute. He has never started in the Coppa Italia or Europa League and has only made three appearances in Serie A. Despite scoring three goals and providing one assist, his overall contribution has been limited, with a goal involvement every 119 minutes.
Calciomercato detail how the situation worsened when Touré suffered a thigh injury shortly after arriving in Bergamo, sidelining him for 147 days. Although he has played 63 matches as a central forward in his career, Atalanta’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini does not view him as a suitable backup for Gianluca Scamacca. Consequently, even with the intention to reintegrate him into the squad and his decision to forgo participation in the Africa Cup of Nations for a full recovery, Touré has found it difficult to secure playing time.
Gasperini has expressed reluctance to experiment with Touré in a crucial phase of the season, stating, “It’s difficult to think about experiments during the peak of the season.” With Scamacca, Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman, and Teun Koopmeiners performing well, Touré’s opportunities have been further limited.
Now, Atalanta faces a dilemma: whether to retain Touré, who has lost his edge as a leader and number 10, and potentially use him in wider positions, or to sell him to the first interested party, possibly recouping some of the investment. The club has already seen a decrease in his market value, which has dropped by €11 million to €20 million.
One potential solution could be to loan Touré to a club like Stuttgart, which would provide him with the playing time necessary to regain his form and market value, allowing Atalanta to reassess his future next year. Meanwhile, the club will continue its search for a suitable backup for Scamacca and a new number 10, as they look to fill the void left by Gomez.
