Final formalities have been completed before the announcement of Marco Palestra as Cagliari's new player. This morning, the 2005-born full-back, arriving from Atalanta, checked into the Villa Stuart clinic in Rome to begin his medical. Barring any surprises, he is expected to arrive in Sardinia in the next few hours to sign his contract.
The signing was announced in the pre-match buildup to Cagliari vs. Fiorentina by sporting director Guido Angelozzi , who described him as the heir to Nadir Zortea, who joined Bologna . Palestra can play on both left and right flanks, and last season he made 15 appearances in all competitions for Atalanta. He arrives on loan: Atalanta declined to include a buy-out clause.
Following Palestra's arrival, Cagliari will also be looking for a central defender . Yesterday, they accelerated their pursuit of Stefan Posch, who is leaving Bologna , and if he arrives, he would allow Fabio Pisacane to move permanently to a four-man back line. Then, by 8 pm on Monday, a final addition to the midfield or attack is also possible ( where, as of yesterday, former Fiorentina player Roberto Piccoli has officially signed ).