Atalanta secures five-year deal with Croatian midfielder Sergej Levak in savvy free transfer

Atalanta BC has locked down Croatian central midfielder Sergej Levak on a five-year contract running through June 2031, completing a free transfer. The deal, which reportedly saw Levak turn down offers from three other Serie A clubs and two German teams, saw the club acquire an asset valued at approximately €2.8 million for zero upfront cost.

The player and the deal

Levak, born on May 3, 2006, in Osijek, Croatia, stands between 195 and 197 cm tall. He’s a right-footed central midfielder who arrived at Atalanta as a free agent after his contract with AS Roma expired.

By early March 2026, he had racked up 34 appearances and 8 goals for Atalanta’s U23 side. His performance has drawn comparisons to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, the Serbian midfielder who commanded a reputation as one of Serie A’s most complete players during his time at Lazio. The comparison centers on Levak’s tackling ability, timing in challenges, and effectiveness in transitioning from defense to attack.

Levak has already earned a call-up to Atalanta’s senior squad, suggesting his timeline for first-team integration could be shorter than the typical U23 development arc.

Atalanta’s asset acquisition model

A €2.8 million market valuation with no transfer fee attached means the club’s downside risk is essentially limited to wages. If he develops as projected, they either get a first-team contributor at a fraction of market cost or a sellable asset worth multiples of their investment.

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