Atalanta open contacts for Werder Bremen winger Samuel Mbangula

Atalanta have opened contacts over a potential move for Samuel Mbangula as they work through several late-window options to strengthen their attacking wide positions.

The 22-year-old Werder Bremen winger has emerged as a concrete target for the Serie A club, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, but the current stage of the operation remains exploratory. There is no indication yet of an agreement with Werder, a formal bid being accepted or a deal reaching the medical stage.

That distinction matters because Atalanta are not treating Mbangula as their only route. Jonathan Rowe remains part of the same wider search, with the Italian club waiting to see whether the Bologna winger can be brought to Bergamo before the deadline. Di Marzio has also linked Atalanta with an interest in Alexis Saelemaekers, although Milan have not opened the door to that move.

Mbangula would offer Atalanta a different type of late-market opportunity. He knows Serie A from his time at Juventus, where he came through the club’s youth and Next Gen structure before breaking into the first team during the 2024-25 season. Juventus sold him to Werder Bremen last summer in a permanent transfer worth €10m plus up to €2m in bonuses.

The Belgian winger had 32 senior appearances for Juventus in all competitions before moving to Germany, contributing four goals and five assists. His profile fits Atalanta’s search for a left-sided attacking option with room to develop, but Werder’s position will be decisive given he only joined the Bundesliga club a year ago.

For now, the news is the movement rather than the conclusion. Atalanta have widened their options and made contact for Mbangula, while the final shape of their attacking reinforcement plan is still tied to what happens with Rowe and any outgoing movement in the same area of the squad.