Atalanta has officially announced the hiring of Cristiano Giuntoli, a seasoned executive previously associated with Juventus and Napoli, to serve as the club’s new sporting director, effective immediately. This move signifies Atalanta’s ambition to bolster its leadership with a director known for his strategic acumen and success at the highest levels of Italian football.
Giuntoli Joins Atalanta as Sporting Director
In a statement released on the club’s official website, Atalanta BC expressed their pleasure in appointing Cristiano Giuntoli, acknowledging his established reputation as a football executive distinguished by his capability, expertise, and strategic foresight. He will be integrated into the club’s sporting structure as the new Sporting Director.
Born in Florence, Giuntoli began his career in football management eighteen years ago, at the age of 36. His initial experience was with Spezia, after which he played a crucial role in Carpi’s remarkable ascent. As Sporting Director, he was instrumental in overseeing four promotions in five years, guiding the club from Serie D all the way to its inaugural Serie A campaign.
Following a highly successful six-year period in Emilia, marked by a winning streak that quickly cemented his status among Italy’s top football executives, Giuntoli transitioned to Napoli in 2015. His tenure there was another significant and triumphant chapter, contributing to the Coppa Italia victory in the 2019/20 season and playing a pivotal role in securing Napoli’s historic third Serie A title in 2022/23. These accomplishments underscored the outstanding work he delivered at the club.
He departed Napoli as the reigning Italian champion before taking on the position of Managing Director Football at Juventus in the summer of 2023. During his two seasons in Turin, he contributed to winning the Coppa Italia.
The Percassi and Pagliuca families, along with the entire Atalanta BC organization, extend a warm welcome to Sporting Director Giuntoli and wish him great success in his role with the Club.
The 54-year-old spent eight seasons with Napoli from 2015 to 2023, being part of the management team that clinched the club’s first Serie A title in over three decades at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. His success at Napoli led to a move to Juventus, though his tenure there lasted only two seasons before his dismissal. He has been without a club since the end of the 2024-25 season.
Among Giuntoli’s notable acquisitions for Napoli were Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for a modest €11.5 million, Kim Min-jae for approximately €18 million, Piotr Zielinski for €15 million, and Stanislav Lobotka for €20 million. His signings at Juventus yielded mixed results; while deals for Khephren Thuram, Francisco Conceicao, and Pierre Kalulu were considered valuable, the acquisitions of Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners, costing over €100 million combined, did not prove to be successful.