Who Is Giacomo Raspadori? ‘Strong’ Italy Star Who Picked Atalanta Over Roma
Giacomo Raspadori is back in Serie A after a short spell in La Liga.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 15 January 2026
Atalanta got one over on Roma in the January transfer window by signing Giacomo Raspadori from under their noses.
For weeks, speculation linking Roma and Raspadori was intense as the Giallorossi sought to land the Atletico Madrid star.
However, Roma failed to make a breakthrough and, over the course of the week, Atalanta swooped in and struck a deal.
La Dea will reportedly pay around €22m to take the Italy international from Atletico, who he only joined last summer.
FootItalia looks at Raspadori’s career, what he could bring to Atalanta, and what coach Raffaele Palladino has said about him.
Giacomo Raspadori career ahead of Atalanta move
Giacomo Raspadori is a 25-year-old attacker who can play as a second striker, at centre-forward, or on the left wing.
He was born in Bentivoglio, near Bologna, on February 18, 2000.
‘Jack’ came through the ranks at Sassuolo and became a star for the Neroverdi, registering 18 goals and nine assists from 78 outings.
Raspadori then sealed a move to Napoli in 2022, initially on loan before they signed him permanently for around €28m a year later.
He made 109 appearances, registering 18 goals and 10 assists, before Atletico signed him for €22m in the summer of 2025.
Raspadori is also an Italy international, with 45 caps, 11 goals, eight assists and a Euro 2020 winner’s medal to his name.
.@Atalanta_BC, Giacomo Raspadori ha firmato il proprio contratto: l’attaccante è uscito dal centro sportivo insieme ai suoi agenti pic.twitter.com/P1sbHz2b7E
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) January 14, 2026
What Giacomo Raspadori could bring to Atalanta
Raspadori is an attacking all-rounder, capable of playing in various attacking positions and in different systems of play.
In Raffaele Palladino’s side, which plays in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Raspadori is expected to operate primarily as an attacking midfielder on the left-centre.
The Italy international would effectively play as a second striker of sorts, but with licence to play more laterally at times.
Palladino could also use Raspadori at centre-forward in some games, or alternatively when one of Gianluca Scamacca or Nikola Krstovic are absent.
What has been said about Giacomo Raspadori moving to Atalanta
Giallorossi senior advisor Claudio Ranieri openly admitted that Giacomo Raspadori didn’t want Roma.
“Raspadori never wanted to talk to us,” he said. “I don’t know if it was because of the loan deal or for other reasons.
“So we realised the boy wasn’t interested, so we left it alone.”
Meanwhile, Raffaele Palladino sung Raspadori’s praises at Atalanta’s press-conference ahead of the Pisa game.
“Raspadori’s impact is positive,” said Palladino. “He’s a strong player who complements an already strong attack.
“I’ve always liked him, and so did the club, who, being ambitious, wanted him and brought him to Bergamo.
“We have a lot of strong players up front.”
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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