Siren Diao: The Catalan prospect making his way in Italy as Atalanta prepare for Athletic clash
Young Spanish striker Siren Diao is taking the reverse path to Giuseppe Meazza in Italian football, as his parent club Atalanta gear up to face Athletic Club.
The only Spaniard on Atalanta’s books will celebrate his 21st birthday on the day his parent club face Athletic Club in the Champions League.
Siren Diao might not be a household name yet, but the young Catalan striker is quietly making his way through Italian football while on loan at Serie B side Cesena. For the Barcelona-born forward, it’s been quite the journey since leaving the Costa Brava region to try his luck abroad in 2022.
The Italian journey
Diao’s Italian adventure began at Hellas Verona, where he caught the eye with some proper impressive numbers:
- 23 goals in 33 youth team appearances
- 12 goals in 30 matches for Verona’s second team
These performances didn’t go unnoticed, particularly by Tony D’Amico, who had previously worked at Verona before becoming Atalanta’s sporting director. When Atalanta signed Swedish defender Isak Hien from Verona last January, D’Amico made sure Diao was included in the deal.
Reverse Meazza
Interestingly, Diao’s career path represents something of a reverse journey to that of Italian legend Giuseppe Meazza. While the Spanish youngster is starting his career in Bergamo (technically, though currently on loan), Meazza ended his playing days at Atalanta before beginning his coaching career there.
Meazza, the second-highest goalscorer in Serie A history and a two-time World Cup winner with Italy (1934 and 1938), is such a towering figure in Italian football that the stadium shared by both Milan clubs bears his name.
Current situation and future prospects
Diao is still waiting for his first Serie A goal and is working hard to impress during his loan spell. After a brief stint at Granada in Spain last season (scoring twice in limited minutes), he’s back in Italy with Cesena, though he was an unused substitute in their recent 2-1 win against Reggiana.
With Atalanta signing Italian international Raspadori and with Nigerian forward Lookman returning from the Africa Cup of Nations with a bronze medal, competition for attacking spots will be fierce when Diao returns to his parent club.
Still, with a contract until 2028, it’s clear the Bergamo outfit see long-term potential in the young Spaniard. For now, though, it’s all about development as he takes the scenic route to the top. Bit of a slow burner, this one, but sometimes that’s the way the cookie crumbles.