ROME: Manager Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed his departure from Serie A side Atalanta with an emotional message to supporters on Saturday.

Gasperini’s exit did not come as a surprise, as he stated back in February that he would not renew his contract, which is set to expire in June.

“It wasn’t possible to express this before, only in the last few hours have I really decided to put an end to this wonderful nine-year-long story. But lets not say goodbye, I don’t like that,” he told Atalanta fans via the Italian newspaper l’Eco di Bergamo.

The 67-year-old Gasperini has turned the Bergamo club into a regular presence among the Serie A leaders in recent seasons, and he led them to the Europa League title in 2024.

Italian media reported that Gasperini is set to take over as coach of AS Roma following Claudio Ranieri’s retirement.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2025