There were not many raised eyebrows when the news broke that an Atalanta youth prospect would join Parma on a one-year loan. Atalanta are known as an Italian talent factory, with a strong record of producing young, high-profile players. Dejan Kulusevski was their latest, and back then he was just 19.
What we saw then (player profile)
Date of birth: April 25, 2000
Place of birth: Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality: Sweden
Height: 186cm
Club at the time: Atalanta (on loan at Parma)
Position: Right winger (also attacking midfielder)
Preferred foot: Left
Who was Dejan Kulusevski back then?
The Swede was in the middle of a real uplift. Since joining Parma on loan that July he had appeared 17 times, all 17 from the start, and he had already been used as a number 10 in one outing, which said a lot about how complete he was. He had also represented his country at every level.
His style of play
Kulusevski played off the right. He tried to outsmart opposing full-backs by drifting into the box and liked to influence the game from more central areas. Finding teammates in the box with a whipped cross was one of his best traits, and at 6ft tall he went for plenty of aerial battles too.
Finding a bigger club in the top European leagues was not going to be hard for him, not with a stage like that to show what he could do.
His strengths
As a winger he had the pace to get past his man, and his dribbling was top-notch given how easily he beat defenders. Combine that with his determination and flair and he was a frightening opponent at his level. At 186cm he could win it in the air too. There were early flashes of Pavel Nedved and Cristiano Ronaldo in his determination, pace and natural fitness. A bid from a top team would not have surprised anyone.
His weaknesses
Like most attackers, his man-marking was on the low side. He focused on attacking and only tracked back when it really mattered. It is unfair to judge a winger by a defender's yardstick, but there were defensive habits he could have added. He also listened more than he led, and rarely drove the game as a vocal presence. His cool head was usually a strength, though in moments when the team needed a spark it could read as flat. Those were the areas he had room to grow in, as a football player and a person.
The 19/20 season, as we read it
Kulusevski was starting every match he could and playing nearly the full 90 each time. At 19 he looked like a star for Parma and for Serie A in general. Credit to Atalanta, both for developing him and for loaning him to the right club. Parma suited him, and he carried himself like a seasoned professional.
Atalanta have a habit of building big talents, and he was another one on that flawless track record. They invest heavily in how their youngsters develop, and it showed. That season was a genuine breakthrough. He was making full-grown Serie A pros look like kids, one class performance after another, and his form in Italy earned him a first senior Sweden call-up. What a year it had been for him already, and it was fair to wonder what came next for a player scoring and creating on a regular basis, the kind who can change a game on his own.
The path that got him there
Kulusevski had moved around a few clubs early on, but Atalanta scouted him young. He racked up youth international appearances, having played for both Sweden and North Macedonia at U16 level, and he developed strongly wherever he was placed. Even then it was clear he was a special young player.
Transfer history at the time
- 16/17: IF Brommapojkarna U17 to Atalanta U17
- 17/18: Atalanta U17 to Atalanta U19
- 19/20: Loaned out to Parma
It might look like an easy ride, but it was not. He worked up through every rank on offer, and his determination and talent pulled in the same direction. Those numbers, alongside his international record, showed what a player he already was.
Our prediction back then
The stats spoke for themselves, and it was hard to set a cap on this one. His talent was the sort we had rarely seen at that age. You get good players, very good players and world-class players, and even in 2019 we were happy to file him in that top bracket. He was at the right platform at the right time, though I honestly believe you could have dropped him anywhere and he would still have stood out.
We struggled to put a cap on him. We tied his value to minutes, and courtesy of transfermarkt we had him at 6 million in December 2019, with room to jump to 18 to 25 million at the next update. If he pushed past 25 appearances across 19/20, and again the minutes mattered, we saw him climbing toward 35 million. An average season of about 7 games kept him near 6 million, a good season of roughly 20 games pointed to 25 million, and a very good full campaign toward 40 million.
On the move, an average season meant staying at Atalanta. A good one opened the door to Schalke or RB Leipzig, Leicester or Arsenal in England, Valencia or Villarreal in Spain, or a switch to Napoli. A very good one put Dortmund, Bayern, a mega move to Juve or Inter, Liverpool, Man City or Man United, and Real Madrid, Real Sociedad or Barcelona on the table. Our actual call was that he would leave Atalanta for Juventus. We knew it was a long shot, and we said RB Leipzig might be the neater fit, but we backed the Juve move. We will let that one stand on its own.
Our verdict
Kulusevski was a serious talent, no question. Ruthless, hungry and years ahead of his age. That he was doing all of it at 19 was the part that stuck with us. We called him a jewel for Serie A and for the game, and a player who would make headlines. Remember the name.