Bundesliga giants VfB Stuttgart have announced the arrival of injury-prone center-forward El Bilal Toure from Atalanta. Last season’s Champions League qualifiers welcomed the 22-year-old striker aboard on Friday but refused to disclose the terms of the agreement with La Dea.
Toure became the club-record signing last summer when Atalanta paid Almeria a whopping €30 million to lure the Nigerian to Serie A. However, the youngster’s career at the Gewiss Stadium was an unmitigated disaster.
After missing the first half of the 2023/24 season with injury, Toure registered 17 appearances for Atalanta, netting just three goals. Therefore, it’s barely surprising that Gian Piero Gasperini’s side opted for a sale this summer.
Perhaps a fresh start in the Bundesliga could help the former Atalanta flop reignite his faltering career. In his first interview as a new Stuttgart player, Toure refused to hide his excitement for switching to the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
“I’m happy to wear the VfB jersey in the coming season,” the former Atalanta forward said. “VfB is a great club with fantastic fans. I’m really looking forward to playing in the Bundesliga and, of course, the Champions League. And I’m very excited to meet my new teammates.“
Toure’s departure may not be the last high-profile sale this summer, with Atalanta still negotiating Teun Koopmeiners’ future with Juventus. The Dutch midfielder is keen to join the Bianconeri, with the deal expected to go through by the end of the week.
Despite making significant squad changes in the summer, Atalanta got the 2024/25 Serie A season off to a flying start, demolishing Lecce 4-0 on the opening weekend.
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