On July 14th, Atalanta's new sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, attended his introductory press conference. Although he had already been working at the club for several weeks, this was his official public appearance before the media.

Speaking about joining Atalanta, Giuntoli said: "I am very honored to be here. I believe Luca Percassi is one of the best managers in football today, so I accepted the invitation in a second."

He also thanked the club's ownership and Paluca: "They welcomed me like a son. When you look at Atalanta from the outside, you can't help but fall in love with this club."

Giuntoli specifically mentioned the experience of club president Antonio Percassi: "If you think about where Antonio Percassi started, he went from a player all the way to president. When people say the president is the number one fan, he truly is that kind of person."

He also praised Atalanta's youth academy: "The youth academy here is envied worldwide, having nurtured many treasures of Italian and world football. It is a source of pride for me to be here, and I can also see myself in it. My experience has always been about combining results with sustainability, and for me, working at such a club is ideal. There are people here who truly understand football."

Regarding the team's goals and Ederson's future, Giuntoli stated: "My primary focus is identity, which is also reflected in the choice of Sarri. For many years, Atalanta has been a team that doesn't publicly declare goals but works with humility and achieves extraordinary things."

Regarding Ederson's contract extension, Giuntoli revealed: "We are pleasantly surprised. He is happy to stay, and we are moving forward with the contract extension."

Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi also spoke at the press conference about the reasons for choosing Giuntoli. He said: "From our first phone call, he showed a very strong desire to join the Atalanta project. In the past month and a half, he has changed many things with great dedication and responsibility, bringing new working methods and high-level talent. I sincerely wish him good luck."

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