Franck Kessie returns to Atalanta

Franck Kessie, the captain of the Ivory Coast national team, signed a multi-year contract with Serie A club Atalanta on Saturday, marking his return to the first European club he played for. The 29-year-old midfielder, who first joined Atalanta's youth system in 2015, returns to Bergamo following spells at AC Milan, Barcelona, and Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli. Atalanta did not disclose the financial details of the deal. Juventus had also attempted to sign Kessie, but manager Luciano Spalletti cited financial fair play regulations as the primary obstacle to new acquisitions. Kessie first gained prominence in 2016 after scoring a brace on his Serie A debut for Atalanta. Most recently, he helped Ivory Coast reach the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, scoring a goal in a group-stage match against Germany.