Romero: Atalanta very different from Juventus

Defender Christian Romero has been talking to the media ahead of a move from Juventus to Atalanta this summer that should see Juve receive a fee of €16m.

Atalanta added Romero on a two-year loan last summer, but have decided to trigger his buy clause after a season that ended with the 23-year-old winning Serie A Defender of the Year.

Previously Juventus veteran Leonardo Bonucci had described the youngster as a quiet man in the dressing room, and in an interview with Sportweek (via Football Italia), Romero admitted it was true.

"He’s right, I’m someone who doesn’t speak much, even now. There was nothing to clarify. These are things that are born and die at the moment.

“Indeed, he congratulated me for qualifying for the Champions League with Atalanta.”

The defender added that things are different at Atalanta than Juventus.

“In the summer, before moving to Turin, I spoke a lot with [Paulo] Dybala, who is Argentine like me.

“Then, in the three weeks that I remained in the retreat with Juventus, I bonded above all with him, Danilo, [Giorgio] Chiellini and [Rodrigo] Bentancur.

“But when I arrived in Bergamo, I immediately understood the environment was very different compared to Juve. There are many young people here, the dressing room is made up of simple guys who make you feel part of the group immediately."

On his decision to leave the Bianconeri -

“Last summer, Juventus changed coach and I realised it would be difficult to stay. I hoped to, but there were many centre-backs there. People with big names like Bonucci, Chiellini, [Matthijs] de Ligt.

“I called my agent, Ciro Palermo, and I more or less told him: ‘There’s no room for me here, let’s look for an option elsewhere. I’m leaving, I don’t want to sit still and lose a year’.

“I’m young, and I need to play to grow. Juve are Juve, but I don’t want to sit on the bench.”

Romero said he is waiting to hear the confirmation of his permanent transfer.

“Of course [I would be happy to stay], I’m waiting for President Percassi to tell me: ‘Romero, you are ours’.

“In the past, other teams were also interested in me, but when I learned about Atalanta, I immediately said yes.

“During my time at Genoa, I had many teammates who had been coached by Gasperini and they talked very well of him.

“If you listen to him and train well, he follows you step by step and makes you improve. Before meeting him, I was a disaster tactically. Today, I feel more mature.”