Mandela Keita has emerged as one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe after an impressive debut Serie A season with Parma, with Atalanta joining Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in monitoring the Belgian.
According to ParmaToday, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Atalanta’s interest is directly linked to the expected departure of Ederson, who is widely anticipated to leave Bergamo this summer with Manchester United understood to be ahead of Atletico Madrid in the race for his signature.
While Keita is a different profile to the Brazilian, he is reported to fit the technical criteria Raffaele Palladino’s side are working to ahead of next season.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Mandela Keita of Parma Calcio during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Parma Calcio 1913 at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Atalanta scouts watch Keita closely as Parma hold firm on valuation
Atalanta’s interest remains at an exploratory stage for now, with club scouts having watched Keita on multiple occasions to assess his physical qualities and ability to break into opposition lines.
No formal offer has been submitted by any of the interested clubs.
Keita arrived at Parma from Antwerp in the summer of 2024 for around €13 million and has developed into one of the cornerstones of Carlos Cuesta’s side.
Parma are under no financial pressure to sell, though as is often the case, the right offer could change the picture quickly.
Inter are the Champions of Italy for the 21st time, as Marcus Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan secured the 2-0 victory over Parma to get the party started at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri knew just a point here would suffice to celebrate the title after Napoli’s 0-0 draw at Como, but while Hakan Calhanoglu and Luis Henrique were injured, Lautaro Martinez was back on the bench, and Alessandro Bastoni had his first start in three weeks. The Ducali already secured Serie A safety and could relax, missing Matija Frigan and Benja Cremaschi.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Players of FC Internazionale Milano pose for a team photograph prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
An early Denzel Dumfries glancing header flashed inches wide from the Nicolò Barella cross, but Parma also wasted a chance to take the lead when Mateo Pellegrino got the volley wrong from 12 yards on the Adrian Bernabé cross from the right.
Inter could not have come closer on 26 minutes when a well-worked move set up Barella for the scorching finish off the crossbar, it bounced off Zion Suzuki’s back, but the goalkeeper managed to scramble the rebound off the feet of Marcus Thuram from point-blank range.
Dumfries had a shot charged down by Abdoulaye Ndiaye following another give-and-go, but Inter broke the deadlock in first half stoppages. Thuram sprung the offside trap on the Piotr Zielinski through ball, took a touch and swept in with the inside of the right boot from seven yards. It was the Frenchman’s fifth consecutive Serie A match on target.
A clinical Marcus Thuram finish!
Inter need just one point vs Parma to clinch the Scudetto this evening
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 3, 2026
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Pio Esposito went off with a back injury, replaced by former Parma striker Ange-Yoan Bonny for the restart, while Lautaro Martinez also made an appearance for the final 25 minutes.
Dimarco almost added another assist to his record-breaking campaign, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan failed to tap in at the back post from six yards, allowing Hans Nicolussi Caviglia to scramble it clear.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Federico Dimarco of FC Internazionale Milano and Adrian Bernabe of Parma Calcio 1913 chase after the ball during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Another Dimarco roll across from the right was fired over by Dumfries at full stretch, while Lautaro Martinez cut inside a defender to bend the finish into the arms of Suzuki.
The second goal arrived when Lautaro Martinez sprung the offside trap down the right and rolled it across for Mkhitaryan to tap in from five yards.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan adds the finishing touches to a delightful Inter move
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 3, 2026
Nesta Elphege had the ball in the net late on for Parma, but only after Pontus Almqvist had wandered offside for the assist.
Davide Frattesi nearly got a goal moments after coming on for Barella, but his volley on yet another Dimarco cross squirmed under Suzuki, the keeper preventing it from crossing the line completely.
Watch as Marcus Thuram gets the Inter party started against Parma, finding the net for the fifth game in a row, but the celebration didn’t go entirely to plan.
The Nerazzurri went into tonight’s match knowing a point would be enough to be mathematically crowned the new Champions of Italy, putting them beyond reach of second-placed Napoli.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Players of FC Internazionale Milano pose for a team photograph prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
They went even better, as Thuram ran onto the Piotr Zielinski through ball to give them the lead in first half stoppages, sending the San Siro crowd wild.
It was the striker’s fifth consecutive Serie A match on the scoresheet, with so far a total of six goals.
Thuram opens Inter account
A clinical Marcus Thuram finish!
Inter need just one point vs Parma to clinch the Scudetto this evening
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 3, 2026
He tried to go into a knee-slide celebration on the turf, but the pitch wasn’t quite as slick as he expected, and the France international ended up face-down in the grass instead.
Inter President Beppe Marotta admits he didn’t expect Cristian Chivu to win the Scudetto in his first season, and potentially the Coppa Italia too. ‘We didn’t go in blind, but showed courage.’
The champagne is on ice in the dressing room, because just one point tonight will be enough to guarantee the Nerazzurri become Champions of Italy.
As Napoli and Milan both dropped points already this weekend, a draw will suffice to get the Scudetto party started.
Marotta ready for Inter success
PISA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 30: Giuseppe Marotta of FC Internazionale looks on prior to the Serie A match between Pisa SC and FC Internazionale at Arena Garibaldi on November 30, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
“Let’s be prudent here. We know that this is the most important exam for the diploma, and we’ll give it our all to achieve this target that would make the fans, players, club and coach happy,” Marotta told DAZN Italia.
“We hope it can be a great game and that is concluded with the Scudetto, but Parma deserve respect.”
Chivu had been a contentious choice when picked to replace Simone Inzaghi, but has proved to be a success with the title and potentially also the Coppa Italia.
“An important value for Inter is courage, I think that is the main fuel behind this decision made by the owners on one side and the management on the other. We certainly didn’t go in blind, we evaluated Chivu’s skills and characteristics, which suited our needs and our weaknesses,” explained the President.
“We had no doubts he would have a positive campaign, but if it ends with the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, that would be a truly extraordinary season.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Nicolo Barella of FC Internazionale Milano is congratulated by Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, after scoring his team’s fifth goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Inter are hoping to make this a Double, because they will face Lazio in the Coppa Italia Final at the Stadio Olimpico on May 13.
However, they haven’t clinched the title on home turf for 37 years, so doing it at San Siro would be a relatively new experience.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 21: The FC Internazionale fans show their support during the Coppa Italia match between FC Internazionale and Como 1907 at San Siro on April 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“We were optimistic from the start, as Chivu worked in our youth academy, so we knew him as a coach and a person with great values. Admittedly, we didn’t expect him to have such a remarkable season, with the only blotch being that Champions League elimination, but these things happen.
“We are very pleased, because he came up through our youth academy, which adds to the pride of this club.”
This is set to be the 10th Scudetto for Marotta at two different clubs, as he won with both Juventus and Inter, but this would be his first as a club President.
He was asked if he had any updates on the refereeing scandal and the suggestions that Inter did not want certain referees?
“No, I have nothing to add to last week, we are very relaxed and not concerned.”
Inter need just one point to celebrate the Scudetto tonight against Mateo Pellegrino’s Parma, so Francesco Pio Esposito, Marcus Thuram and Alessandro Bastoni start.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 17: Federico Dimarco of Inter talks with Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Esposito therefore partners Thuram upfront, with Petar Sucic preferred to Henrikh Mkhitaryan in midfield.
Bastoni returns in defence three weeks after his last start, having struggled with a recurring ankle issue.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Alessandro Bastoni of Inter warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Parma have already locked down their Serie A safety thanks to a victory over Pisa, and are therefore also in celebratory mood at San Siro.
Matija Frigan and Benja Cremaschi are out of action, but Pellegrino leads the attack with Gabriel Strefezza, as super-sub Nesta Elphege waits for his opportunity.
UDINE, ITALY – APRIL 18: Nesta Elphege of Parma celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Gabriel Strefezza during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913 at Stadio Friuli on April 18, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Many of these players worked with Cristian Chivu last season, but it is a remarkable achievement for the coach to win the Scudetto in his first full top flight campaign.
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