Mario Pasalic, born on 9 February 1995 (age 31), is a Croatian centre midfielder whose career has come to be shaped far more by Atalanta than by the movement that marked his earlier years.
His development was helped by loan football, with those spells giving him the senior minutes and tactical education that young midfielders usually need but do not always get. By the time he settled in Bergamo, he was no longer just a tidy central player looking for a defined role.
Atalanta has given that role proper shape. Across nine seasons he has made 264 league appearances and scored 50 league goals, a return that stands out for a midfielder rather than a forward being squeezed into deeper areas. His best league campaign came in 2021-22, when he scored 13 times in 37 appearances.
In 2026-27 he has made three appearances for Atalanta across Serie A and Conference League qualifying. He has also remained involved with Croatia, with appearances in the World Cup and World Cup qualifying, including one goal in the European qualifiers.
His market value is around £11m, according to Transfermarkt. Pasalic’s career is a fairly clear one: early movement, then a long Atalanta spell built on reliable midfield work and a better goal return than his position usually promises.
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