More expensive than Koopmeiners: Serie A top scorer leaves for Saudi Arabia

Atalanta's stunning rise over the past decade has been marked by clever recruitment, excellent player development, and timely sales and the transfer of Mateo Retegui to Saudi Arabia is the latest chapter in that strategy.

The Serie A Golden Boot winner will leave Bergamo after just one season, completing a shock €65 million transfer (plus bonuses) to Al-Qadsiah. The move not only highlights the growing financial power of Saudi clubs, but also underlines Atalanta's ability to turn emerging talents into global assets in record time.

Retegui’s journey to this point has been anything but ordinary. Born in Argentina and initially breaking through at Tigre, he made his debut for the Italian national team while still playing in South America, thanks to his Italian heritage. That unusual path caught the attention of European clubs, and Genoa moved quickly to bring him to Serie A. Despite a modest return of seven goals in his debut campaign, Atalanta saw enough in the striker’s intelligent movement, physicality, and sharp finishing to make a €20 million investment.

What followed was nothing short of explosive. Under Gian Piero Gasperini’s attacking system in Bergamo, Retegui flourished. His link-up play improved dramatically, he showed greater maturity in front of goal, and most importantly, he became the focal point of Atalanta’s attack. With 25 league goals to his name including decisive strikes against Juventus, Napoli, and both Milan clubs he didn’t just finish as Serie A’s top scorer, he established himself as one of Europe’s most consistent goal threats over the course of the season.

Such form was always going to attract attention, but few expected his next destination to be Saudi Arabia. Al-Qadsiah, newly promoted to the Saudi Pro League and backed by significant investment, have made Retegui their marquee signing in a bid to accelerate their climb up the domestic ranks. The €65 million transfer fee places Retegui among the most expensive signings from Serie A in recent memory surpassing even the likes of Teun Koopmeiners, whose €58 million move to Juventus last year had set a recent benchmark.

For the player, the financial package is impossible to ignore. Reports suggest Retegui will earn €20 million per year in Saudi Arabia, instantly making him one of the best-paid Italian internationals in football. He joins a squad that already includes Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels and, for now, former Barcelona and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang although the latter is reportedly on the verge of terminating his contract after a disappointing stint in the Middle East.

For Atalanta, the sale reinforces their status as one of Italy’s most astute operators in the transfer market. Retegui's €65 million deal is now the second-biggest sale in club history, only behind Rasmus Højlund’s €77 million move to Manchester United. Combined with last summer’s departure of Koopmeiners to Juventus, Atalanta have generated well over €120 million in transfer revenue from just three players in two years all while continuing to qualify for European competitions and remaining competitive in Serie A.

The big question now is how Atalanta will replace their talisman. The club’s recruitment team is already at work, and several names have emerged. Sky Sport Italia reports that former Ajax striker Lorenzo Lucca, currently with Udinese, is a strong candidate. Lucca’s towering presence and technical ability would make him a natural fit for Gasperini’s system. Another option is Georges Mikautadze, also once on Ajax’s books, who had a breakout season with Lyon and offers a more mobile, creative profile.

Evan Ferguson of Brighton & Hove Albion has also been mentioned a young, Premier League-tested talent who could demand a significant fee but fits the club’s strategy of developing promising players. Whether Atalanta will go for an established Serie A forward or a younger, high-upside option remains to be seen, but they now have both the time and financial resources to make a calculated choice.

It’s also worth noting the broader trend this move reflects. Saudi clubs are no longer just targeting aging stars or players at the end of their prime. In Retegui, Al-Qadsiah are acquiring a 26-year-old, freshly crowned top scorer in one of Europe’s top five leagues, and a player with his best years still ahead of him. That represents a shift in recruitment strategy and potentially a new challenge for European clubs trying to hold onto emerging talent.

In the meantime, Atalanta fans will bid farewell to a striker who left an indelible mark in just twelve months. Retegui arrived with questions and left as a star a testament to his own determination, the coaching of Gasperini, and the perfect fit between player and system. His next chapter takes him far from the lights of the Stadio Gewiss, but his impact in Bergamo won’t be forgotten anytime soon.