Atalanta market, Mateo Retegui admits: "Difficult to leave Bergamo"

Atalanta soccer market: in addition to Gian Piero Gasperini, the Orobici also had to start the current season by renouncing Mateo Retegui. The center forward of Gennaro Gattuso’s national team had graduated in 2025 as Serie A’s top scorer precisely during his only season in the Nerazzurri, only to leave Bergamo and move to Saudi Arabia to al’Al-Qadsiah. A market twist that, months later, the striker wanted to tell in more detail. Also explaining how much it weighed on him to accept that’transaction. Although, afterwards, he found aspects in his new club that made him more than satisfied with his decision.

Marco Enzo Venturini

“Leaving Atalanta was difficult – Retegui admitted in an ’interview for ‘Sportitalia‘ – On the one hand because in Bergamo they all made me feel special, from teammates to staff, all the people who work for the club and of course the fans. For this reason I would have been happy to stay. But then Al-Qadsiah showed up. Both the coach and the sporting director called me, making me feel very wanted. This is something that for a footballer is really very important”. Hence the first cracks in his conviction to start again with the Orobica team even in the first post-Gasperini season. Until then the’farewell.

And Retegui certainly did not regret it. “I already had several friends and teammates who played in Saudi Arabia –Retegui added -. They told me what the country was like and what the league is like here. Then I also got told what the Al-Qadsiah project was. The moment I arrived, I was then able to see for myself the’organization that there is here and the solidity of the project. In addition to that, I can say that Arab soccer is growing exponentially, and it is growing more and more. And personally I am pleased to be able to play a role and also personally contribute to this growth process”.

Retegui officially left Atalanta on July 21, in a deal that brought some 70 million euros into the Orobiche coffers. “The Percassi family, the Pagliuca family and the entire Nerazzurri club sincerely thank Mateo for his extraordinary contribution last season and wish him all the best for the continuation of his sporting career and for his future”” the club wrote at the time.

“Dear Atalanta fans – wrote in the same hours Retegui on his official ‘Instagram’ profile -, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the’affection you have shown me in this wonderful year. It was an honor to wear the colors of a great club like Atalanta. Thank you to the medical, technical, warehouse staff, security and all the people who helped us grow every day”.