Daniel Maldini is set to leave Atalanta and join Cagliari on loan, with the agreement including an option to buy that could make the overall value of the deal reach €9m.
The move was reported by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, who described the deal as completed with his familiar “here we go” confirmation. Maldini will initially join Cagliari on a temporary basis, but the Serie A club will have the possibility of making the transfer permanent.
The agreement does not include an automatic obligation to buy. Instead, that clause can be activated only if certain conditions are met during the loan spell. Those conditions are also connected to the number of appearances Maldini makes for Cagliari.
If the requirements are fulfilled and the purchase clause is triggered, the total package could be worth as much as €9m. Until then, Maldini will remain an Atalanta player while spending the loan period with Cagliari.
The structure of the deal means the eventual permanent transfer depends on circumstances laid out in the agreement between the clubs, rather than being guaranteed from the outset. Appearances will form part of the conditions that determine whether Cagliari must complete the move.
Maldini’s departure continues the latest step in the career of a player from one of Italian football’s most recognised families. However, the immediate focus is on his switch from Atalanta to Cagliari and the terms surrounding the loan.
The transfer gives Cagliari the opportunity to assess Maldini before deciding whether to commit to a permanent deal. Should the relevant conditions be met, the option could become an obligation and take the overall value of the transfer to €9m.
For now, the agreement remains a loan move with a buy option clause. The permanent element is conditional, with appearances and other specified requirements determining whether the clause can be activated.
Romano’s report confirms the central details of the transfer: Maldini will leave Atalanta for Cagliari, the initial move is on loan, and the deal could eventually become permanent. The final value depends on whether the conditions in the agreement are met.
