The logical explanation is that the reporters are told where to be and when – the 8.20pm to London, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Terminal 3, Level 1, be there – but then that’s no fun, is it? It is more amusing to assume Italian newspapers simply position one of their people, per airport, per day, sipping espressos by the security gates in case a famous footballer turns up.
However the sausage is made, it is practically a rite of passage, and on Thursday evening, it was the turn of Marco Palestra.
The 21-year-old Italian was filmed at that airport in Fiumicino – slightly incognito in sunglasses and cap and not too talkative when approached – with his 8.20pm departure to follow as he swapped Atalanta for Chelsea in a deal worth more than £43million.
Palestra is Xabi Alonso’s first signing as Blues boss, and one which still leaves supporters guessing as to whether Chelsea’s new manager will favour a back three or back four. He is both a full back and a wing back, perfectly capable of playing in either position on either side as one of those two-footed rarities.
That goes some way to explaining why Alonso sought the youngster who was named Serie A’s Defender of the Year last season while on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta. Chelsea love versatility – or ‘Swiss Army Knives’ as we have had such players described to us previously – and Alonso does, too.
Palestra gives him the option of using him in the 3-4-2-1 which delivered splendid success at Bayer Leverkusen, or the back-four he relied upon at Real Madrid. For Alonso, the system he deploys is decided by the players at his disposal, not the other way around.
Italy international Marco Palestra is on his way to Chelsea in a deal worth £43million
The Atalanta wing-back (left) starred on loan at Cagliari last season, and Atalanta have now cashed in
Chelsea fans may not have seen much of 6ft 1in Palestra. As a full back-slash-wing-back arriving from an Italian side, they will hope he is more Marcos Alonso and less Davide Zappacosta.
Palestra’s name perfectly fits the old song for Alonso at least – ‘Marcos, Marcos Alonso, runs down the wing for me, do do do do do…’ to the tune of the intro from British TV series Heartbeat – and those within Stamford Bridge seized their opportunity to sign the youngster this summer.
Those who have followed Palestra’s rapid rise in Italy tell Daily Mail Sport how he developed quicker than expected.
As fate would have it, when Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 with a 3-0 victory over Alonso’s Leverkusen in the final (the German side’s only defeat in any competition all season), Zappacosta was their right wing-back. Palestra had not yet broken through into Atalanta’s first team and was not in the squad that day.
It was the 2024-25 season when Palestra began to appear for Atalanta, slowly but surely and primarily as a substitute.
The plan was for Palestra to spend the 2025-26 season as a weekly starter on loan at Cagliari before returning to his parent club, better for the experience and equipped to perform for them in 2026-27, with Zappacosta still manning the right-hand side at Atalanta and in need of a successor at 34 years old.
But Atalanta could not resist cashing in after his Cagliari success. There, he won more fouls than any other man in Serie A – 108, with the next nearest being Lazio attacker Mattia Zaccagni on 82 – while only Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz attempted and completed more dribbles than Palestra.
His name translated from Italian to English means ‘Mark Gymnasium’, and so, perhaps fittingly, as well as being named Serie A’s Defender of the Year, he won the Frecciarossa Speed Award after recording the highest average sprints.
Palestra’s arrival has sparked questions over the futures of Josh Acheampong (centre) and Malo Gusto (right)
‘He has everything: physique, strength, speed, dribbling. We’re talking about a complete player in every way’
There remains room for improvement, naturally, at 21 years old, though one onlooker who followed his Cagliari loan spell says it showed his bravery. It was his first proper run of senior football, signing up to a relegation scrap as a youngster living away from family and friends, and he excelled.
According to Cagliari’s former sporting director Guido Angelozzi, Premier League scouts regularly attended their games, and that included making private checks on his character.
Angelozzi added: ‘He has everything: physique, strength, speed, dribbling. We’re talking about a complete player in every way. He’s also a great guy who lives for football, has a beautiful family that supports him, also a good agent. He has everything it takes to have a great career.’
Palestra’s performances earned him his call-up to the Italian national team, and while they did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, he was one of the impressive performers in their play-off defeat by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Palestra was in tears at the end of that penalty shootout loss.
Inter – where he was once in the academy, having been born in Buccinasco on the outskirts of Milan – tried to sign him this summer but the Serie A champions were gazumped by Chelsea’s higher fee, higher salary and personal assurances from Alonso.
Palestra’s arrival adds question marks over other Chelsea players, however, and not least Malo Gusto. The 23-year-old right back has been valued at £75m by his club amid interest from Manchester City – soon to be managed by Enzo Maresca – and others in Europe.
There is also Josh Acheampong, who has already not received as much game time as he might have liked and could have enjoyed elsewhere. Daily Mail Sport made checks on Chelsea’s 20-year-old academy graduate this week, and club sources tell us they view Acheampong as a centre back, rather than a full back or wing-back like Palestra.
Palestra (centre) won his first call-up to the Italy senior squad this year, and was distraught when they lost their World Cup play-off against Bosnia on penalties
Incoming Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso had huge success with wing-backs such as now-Liverpool man Jeremie Frimpong at Bayer Leverkusen
That is their vision of him, while Chelsea insiders add their stance on Acheampong this summer has not changed: he is still considered one of their untouchables despite genuine interest from some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and all across Europe. Unlike Gusto (£75m) and Enzo Fernandez (£120m), Chelsea have not quoted a price on Acheampong when asked.
However, Chelsea are not done with adding to their defence yet. As well as Palestra, they want to bring in another central defender, having enquired with Crystal Palace about Maxence Lacroix and holding interest in Jacobo Ramon of Como.
Chelsea already have nine centre backs on their books as it stands: Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Aaron Anselmino, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mamadou Sarr and Acheampong.
Now they are chasing a 10th, and with no European football for spreading minutes down the pecking order, permanent sales are a must. Chalobah is among those now being courted by Como, the Serie A side managed by Cesc Fabregas, twice a Premier League winner with Chelsea.
There is still significant business for Chelsea to conduct this summer, but at least they have their first summer signing in the highly promising Palestra.
