Atalanta’s new firecracker: welcome Kamaldeen Sulemana!
Permanent move from Southampton FC
Atalanta BC are pleased to announce the outright signing of Kamaldeen Sulemana from Southampton FC. Despite his young age, the 23-year-old brings a wealth of exprerience on the grounds of: his 44 Premier League appearances (3 goals, 2 assists); his 34 Ligue 1 games (5 goals and 2 assists), the 25 matches played in the English Championship (3 assists); the 42 caps in the Danish Superliga (where he scored 14 goals and provided 5 assists), as well as 4 UEFA Europa League matches (2 assists) and 6 UEFA Europa League games (1 goal). A versatile player, Atalanta's new signing offers tactical flexibility in the final third, being capable of playing as a winger, second striker or attacking midfielder. He is also a full Ghanaian international, having represented his country on 20 occasions to date.
Born in Techiman on February 15 2002, Kamaldeen took his first footballing steps with hometown side Techiman Liberty before joining the ranks of the prestigious Right to Dream Academy, a renowned talent hub for the fostering of budding African up-and-comers.
His talent quickly caught the attention of European clubs, and in January 2020 - not yet 18 - he completed a move to Dane outfit FC Nordsjælland, making his debut in the Danish Superliga just one week after on the day of his 18th birthday.
In a season and a half with Nordsjælland, he played 43 matches in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 5 assists.
His performances earned him a transfer to Stade Rennais in July 2021, tallying 47 appearances, netting 6 goals and supplying 4 assists, over one and a half season. In his stint with Les Rouges et Noirs, Kamaldden made his debut on the continental stage, first in the UEFA Conference League and later in the UEFA Europa League during the first part of the 2022/2023 season.
On February 1 2023, Sulemana joined Premier League side Southampton on a four-and-a-half-year contract, marking his arrival across the Channel with a goal in a riveting 4-4 draw at Liverpool.
During his days as a Saint, with whom he won the Championship playoffs at the end of the 2023/2024 season, he played a total of 74 matches, scoring 4 goals and providing 7 assists. Of these, 30 appearances (accompanied by 2 goals and 3 assists) came under the guidance of then-Southampton manager and current Atalanta head coach Ivan Jurić. Over the season, he stood out for his dribbling ability, ranking 8th in the league for successful take-ons and 3rd (per 100 touches) among players in his position.
Out of the 20 international caps earned with Ghana, Kamaldeen's Senior debut with the Black Stars dates back to October 9, 2020, in a friendly match against Mali.
The Percassi and Pagliuca family, along with the whole Atalanta Club, extend a heartfelt welcome to Kamaldeen and wish him every success — both on a personal level and as a key part of the team — in the Nerazzurri colours.