Raoul Bellanova, born on the 17th of May, 2000, is an adept Italian defender. At 24 years young, he plays primarily as a right back for Atalanta. Bellanova is an imposing 6 foot tall (1.85m) and weighs in at just over 12 stone (78 kg). If you spotted him on the field, you'd recognise him by his number 16 jersey. He has not only represented Atalanta, but also the Italy national team.
According to Transfermarkt, his current market value hovers around £18m. Although his contract is set to expire on the 30th of June, 2029, he has significant time left at Atalanta with over 4 years and 9 months.
Bellanova's football career started under AC Milan's tutelage, joining their ranks as a trainee in July 2014. Then, in January 2019, he transferred from AC Milan to Bordeaux for a fee of around £630k, making a single first team appearance during his debut season at the French club.
Shortly after, Bellanova was loaned back to AC Milan from Bordeaux, before returning to France when his loan term was up. His transfer to Atalanta in January 2020 marked a significant milestone in his career where, during the 2019-2020 season, he made his first appearance for the Italian club.
Unfortunately, subsequent transfer to Pescara in September 2020 on loan from Bordeaux saw him playing in the Serie C. However, during his tenure there, he made a laudable 30 first team appearances. His career trajectory then took him to another Italian club, Cagliari, where he made a substantial impact with 31 appearances and one goal during the 2021-2022 season.
Bellanova's next move led him back to Bordeaux in July 2022 in a swap for a fee of approximately £630k, after which he moved to Inter Milan on loan. Despite the flux of transfers, Bellanova maintained a strong performance with 18 appearances at Inter Milan during the 2022-2023 season.
Once his loan ended in July 2023, Bellanova was transferred for a hallmark fee of £6m to Torino, making 37 appearances and netting one goal in his first season. He's carried this momentum into the current 2024-2025 season, having already made his first appearance.
Finally, his most recent move was to Atalanta in August 2024, with a substantial fee rounding up to approximately £17m. He has already had a good run with the Italian club, making six appearances this season.
Bellanova's contributions to the sport aren't limited to his club appearances, as he represented Italy in the UEFA U21 Qualifiers 2023 with three starts. More recently, he's been part of the Champions League for Atalanta in 2024-2025, scoring one goal in two starts with one appearance as a substitute.
