Giuntoli and his old signings: 'They are showing their value' as Atalanta bet on Kessie

At Franck Kessie's unveiling at Atalanta, the focus unexpectedly shifted to Juventus. Cristiano Giuntoli, who once signed Nico Gonzalez, Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz for Juventus, was asked about their strong start. He called them valuable players who are showing their value, then quickly turned the conversation toward Atalanta's present and future. The answer was polite, but beneath it lay a deeper story. Giuntoli spent his Juventus years defending those signings amid criticism. Now that they are performing better, their success risks dragging him back into a past he has left behind. At Atalanta, Giuntoli faces the challenge of building something new. Kessie's arrival signals ambition, but no tactical role has been confirmed, and no data was shared at the press conference. In modern football, value is often measured in numbers, yet Giuntoli's praise was based on narrative rather than statistics. The real issue is how a sporting director manages memory and expectation. Giuntoli chose to acknowledge his former players without lingering on them. That restraint is both self-protection and a clear message: his focus is now on Atalanta's future. Kessie, too, understands what it means to be caught between past expectations and future promise. Atalanta need more than a famous name. They need a clear plan, patience, and a sporting director who refuses to be haunted by his own past decisions. The pitch does not age; only our perspectives fade with time. What matters is not the echo of old transfer stories, but whether Atalanta can create a new chapter built on present performance and collective belief.