Sulemana from Southampton relegation to UCL football with Atalanta: ‘Daily work’

Kamaldeen Sulemana is ‘grateful’ for the opportunity to play for Atalanta and admits Ivan Juric is the ‘perfect coach’ for him: ‘I firmly believe in daily work and in the fact that one should never give up.’

Sulemana, 23, joined Atalanta on a permanent transfer from Southampton last summer, after the English side were relegated from the Premier League.

Juric, the former Southampton coach, brought the Ghana international to Bergamo, and Sulemana has already scored two goals and provided one assist in six Serie A appearances this term.

“I didn’t expect to start this well. I wanted to show everyone my value, first and foremost, to Atalanta,” the Ghana international told Gazzetta.

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to play for this fantastic club, and I really like the city of Bergamo. I enjoy working with this group. There’s a positive atmosphere every day. But now I’m no longer a surprise for my opponents, so I have to come up with new ones!

“Juric the perfect coach for me, both tactically and technically. He trusted me right away when I arrived at Southampton.

“He’s a mentor to me, he helps me find the right position on the pitch, whether I attack or defend. He’s a teacher, and I’m a student. I trust him and always want to improve.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and for being chosen by them,” Sulemana continued.

“That’s also why I want to give even more to help the team stay as high as possible in the table.”

In just a matter of months, Sulemana has gone from Premier League relegation to playing Champions League football with La Dea.

“I firmly believe in daily work and in the fact that one should never give up,” he said.

“Serie A is a top league, very tactical. It forces you to stay focused for the entire match. The Premier League, above all, shaped me physically. It’s a very intense league.”

Sulemana does not have his surname on the back of his shirt, but has picked his name instead, Kamaldeen. This is why: “It was my choice. In our culture, if my father and I are sitting at a table and someone calls ‘Sulemana’ they’re referring to him, not me. It’s a form of respect,” he explained.

“I’m Kamaldeen. There are six of us in the family, I have two brothers and three sisters, and I’m the third child. I left him when I was 11 to join an academy, far from my family. I’ve spent a lot of time away from them, but I have a wonderful relationship with my siblings. I’m not the only footballer in the family. My older brother, Abdul Rauf, plays in the Ghana Premier League with Vision FC, and my younger brother, Hakim, plays in the Danish second division with Hillerød.”

Sulemana, one of the many Serie A goalscorers during the international break in October, has signed a contract until 2029 at Atalanta, with an option for a further campaign.