Atalanta Signs Franck Kessié

Italian club Atalanta announced today, Saturday, the signing of Ivorian midfielder Frank Kessie on a multi-year deal, marking his return to the team after nine years since his departure.

Atalanta has announced on its official website that Kessié is returning to the club after a successful career, during which he won the Serie A title with Milan, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup with Barcelona, as well as the Saudi Super Cup and two AFC Champions League titles with Al Ahli Saudi.

Kessié started his career with Ivorian club Stella Adjame before moving to Europe in January 2015, when he joined Atalanta and played with the youth team. He then went on loan to Cesena in August of the same year, where he made 37 appearances and scored 4 goals.

The midfielder returned to Atalanta the following season, scoring two goals in his Serie A debut against Lazio, before finishing his first season in the competition with 31 appearances and 7 goals, contributing to his team's fourth-place finish.

Kessié joined Milan in the summer of 2017, playing 223 matches for the team across all competitions, scoring 37 goals. He was part of the squad that won the Serie A title in the 2021/2022 season. In the summer of 2022, he transferred to Barcelona, where he clinched both the La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup titles in just one season.

Kessié then had his experience with Al Ahli, where he played 119 matches and scored 26 goals over two seasons. He won the Saudi Super Cup and two titles in the AFC Champions League, and he was awarded the Best Player in the 2025/2026 edition.

Atalanta concluded their statement by welcoming back Kessié, who is captaining the Ivory Coast national team and has played over 100 international matches, contributing to their victory in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as participating in the 2026 World Cup.