Eljif Elmas joins Atalanta on loan after January 2025 Valencia snub | OneFootball

Eljif Elmas has joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig on loan with an option to buy, sealing the move on Saturday. The 26-year-old North Macedonia international returns to Serie A after spells with Napoli and Torino.

According to Superdeporte, Valencia came close to signing him in January 2025 during their relegation battle, seeing him as a leading option for Carlos Corberán.

Talks with Leipzig over a loan to the end of that season were advanced and his arrival largely depended on his approval. He ultimately rejected Mestalla and chose a return to Italy, a decision influenced by Valencia’s position in the lower reaches of the table.

Torino confirmed on 30 January 2025 his loan with an option to buy, ending Valencia’s hopes.

He impressed in Turin, playing 13 Serie A games and scoring four goals, underlining what Valencia missed in that tricky run-in.

Elmas then returned to Napoli on loan last season. Back with Leipzig this summer, he departs again after only 22 competitive appearances since joining the Bundesliga side in January 2024.

Raised at Rabotnički of Skopje, then Fenerbahçe, he joined Napoli in 2019 and was part of their 2022/23 Scudetto squad. Across his career he has 361 senior outings, 189 in Serie A, plus 79 North Macedonia caps. Atalanta add a versatile midfielder who can operate centrally and higher up.

Source: Superdeporte

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”