Palestra farewell message to Atalanta after Chelsea move: ‘Followed my dreams’ Marco Palestra has written an emotional farewell message to Atalanta, the club he joined when he was 10 years old, after completing the transfer to Chelsea. The paperwork was completed today and the announcement made, sealing a move believed to be worth €60m including various add-ons. He has signed a contract with Chelsea that runs for six years, with an option to add one more season on top. Marco Palestra has completed his transfer to Chelsea from Atalanta (chelseafc.com) Although Palestra spent last season on loan at Cagliari in Serie A, he had been a product of the Atalanta youth academy since the age of 10, coming up through the ranks to make his mark at senior level. With this in mind, the 21-year-old wrote a message on his Instagram account saying goodbye to Bergamo. Palestra farewell to Atalanta BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 21: Marco Palestra of Atalanta BC controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Atalanta BC and SK Sturm Graz at Stadio di Bergamo on January 21, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “I arrived in Bergamo as a child. Atalanta was much more than a club for me: it is a place where I grew up, as a player and as a person. “Here I had the opportunity to follow my dreams, experiencing sensations that I will never forget. “Thank you to the Percassi family, the directors, the coaches, all the staff, my teammates and the fans for believing in me and being part of this extraordinary journey that began 11 years ago. “Thank you.” View this post on Instagram
A post shared by MARCO PALESTRA (@marcopalestraa) The right-back and wing-back made 16 senior appearances in the Atalanta jersey, along with many at youth level, including 41 for the Under-23 side. He also participated in the squad that won the 2023-24 edition of the Europa League, and at Cagliari last term was named Serie A Defender of the Season. View this post on Instagram
