Gianluca Scamacca has begun the season with the sort of return that changes the conversation around a striker. Three goals in his first 10 appearances for Atalanta and Italy have put him ahead of his previous pace in Bergamo, while the club are already moving to protect a player they regard as central to their future.
The decision
Atalanta have opened discussions with Scamacca’s representative over a new contract. His present deal runs until 30 June 2028, but the club want to begin early rather than let the situation drift towards its final stages. Having recently extended Giorgio Scalvini until 2031, Atalanta are preparing to revisit the terms of another important member of the squad.
Scamacca will turn 28 in January and has reached a significant point in his career. He has come through the serious injury suffered during the 2024-25 season, and the priority now is continuity at a high level. Bergamo has waited for him, backed him through that difficult period and remains convinced that it has a leading centre-forward in its ranks.
His early scoring record supports that belief. Across seven Atalanta matches and three Italy appearances, Scamacca has scored three times. He had never reached that mark so early in a season since joining the club.
His first Atalanta campaign ended with the Europa League trophy in Dublin, but by 5 October he had only scored twice, both in the league win over Monza on 2 September. His third goal that season arrived on 17 October, for Italy at Wembley against England. The following campaign was disrupted from August by injury. Last season, 2025-26, he had one goal—against Pisa on 24 August—until finding the net against Napoli on 22 November; his third came against Verona on 6 December.
This time, the goals have been spread across three competitions and none has come from the penalty spot. He decided the Conference League tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv, a 1-0 second-leg win played in Miskolc, Hungary. He then scored Atalanta’s temporary equaliser in the 2-1 defeat to Cagliari, before opening the scoring for Italy against Turkey. All three were right-footed finishes within 39 days.
His response to that international goal also captured something of his personality. Scamacca did not celebrate in Bologna, explaining that he had saved his joy for a second goal which he hoped to score. He said he would celebrate if he scores against France instead. He had similarly kept his emotions in check after his goal against Cagliari.
For Atalanta, however, the important part is the growing impact. Maurizio Sarri needs more end product from his attack as he looks to alter the tone of the opening weeks. Scamacca can offer more than a penalty-box presence: his technique and vision allow him to connect the build-up as well as finish it. That wider role is one reason the club see him as a player to build around.
Roberto Mancini’s confidence in him with Italy has also been a positive influence. The challenge now is to convert an encouraging start into a sustained season, with Atalanta hoping his recovery from injury becomes the foundation for stability rather than another interruption.
Sunday’s picture
Atalanta resumed work at Zingonia with the focus turning to Monday’s home meeting with Venezia, scheduled for 18:30 at the New Balance Arena. Mario Pasalic and Eljif Elmas, the final two players returning from international duty, joined the group, while those who had been back in Bergamo since Tuesday began their field work.
The afternoon session included technical activation, a technical exercise, a 10-versus-10 game on a half pitch and power work. The week will test Sarri’s squad depth, with three matches scheduled in seven days: Venezia on Monday, Pafos in the Conference League on Thursday and Milan next Sunday.
There was encouragement from the recovery work of Giacomo Raspadori and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Both completed treatment and gym sessions before beginning individual work on the pitch after their respective injuries. They are not expected to be available against Venezia, but either could return to the matchday squad for Pafos and potentially be used briefly if required. The aim is to have both fully ready for the Milan match, without forcing their return.
Isak Hien and Odilon Kossounou will require more patience, with their returns not expected until the international break in mid-November. In the meantime, Scalvini and Thomas Kristensen are the leading options at centre-back. Kossounou and third-choice goalkeeper Thomas Pompei, who recently underwent hand surgery, continued treatment, while Hien combined therapy with gym work.
For Scamacca, Monday begins a demanding stretch in which the first bright signs of the season will need to become a reliable contribution. Atalanta’s contract talks underline the club’s view: the forward is not merely being assessed from one goal to the next, but as a figure they want at the centre of the longer campaign.
