Nikola Krstović

Key strength: Link-up play

Target man

Amid Atalanta's turbulent Serie A campaign—languishing in 10th place with patchy form reading DLWDL—one constant has emerged in Gian Piero Gasperini's rotating attack: Nikola Krstović. The 26-year-old Montenegrin striker, donning the №90 shirt, has quietly established himself as La Dea's most reliable finisher. Krstović's numbers reveal a model of efficiency: 10 goals and 6 assists from 43 appearances, translating to a clinical strike every 217 minutes. With a €30 million valuation that's steadily climbing, he's outperformed fellow forward Gianluca Scamacca to claim the starting centre-forward role despite both sharing identical 65 ratings. Operating as a classic target man with exceptional link-up play, Krstović offers more than just goals—his discipline stands out with merely two yellow cards across 2,168 minutes of action. As Atalanta battle to climb back into European contention, the Montenegrin's ice-cold composure and ruthless precision in front of goal could prove the difference between mid-table mediocrity and continental football's top table.