Chelsea paid more than 50 million euros for the Italy national team debutant
London's Chelsea has officially announced another high-profile summer transfer. The English club has signed young defender Marco Palestra from Atalanta, who recently made his debut for the Italian national team. According to media reports, the deal was worth approximately 57 million euros.
Chelsea continues to be active in the transfer market. This time, the London club has signed one of Italy’s most promising young defenders—Marco Palestra. The English club officially announced the player’s transfer. According to various sources, the transfer cost the “Blues” approximately 57 million euros. The player himself signed a long-term, seven-year contract with Chelsea.
Palestra is a versatile player. He is equally comfortable using both feet, can play on both the right and left flanks, and can cover positions not only in defense but also in midfield. It is precisely this versatility that is considered one of the main reasons why Chelsea chose him. The Italian spent last season on loan at Cagliari, where he received consistent playing time. While with the Sardinian club, he played 37 matches across all competitions. During that time, Palestra scored one goal and recorded four assists, while also becoming one of the team’s key players on the wing.
His successful season helped him catch the eye of the Italian national team’s coaching staff. In the spring, he received his first call-up to the national team. Palestra made his debut for the Italian national team in the World Cup qualifying playoff semifinal against Northern Ireland. He entered the game late in the match, which ended in a 2–0 victory for Italy. In the playoff final against Bosnia, the defender started the match and played 74 minutes, justifying the coaching staff’s confidence in him.
According to Italian media reports, other clubs, including the reigning Serie A champion, had also shown interest in Palestra. However, it was Chelsea that was the first to reach an agreement with Atalanta and the player himself, finalizing one of the most expensive transfers of a young Italian defender this summer. This was reported on the club’s official website.
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