Atalanta sign Ukrainian midfielder Kovalenko

Atalanta signed Ukrainian international midfielder Viktor Kovalenko from Shakhtar Donetsk on Monday just a few hours before the winter transfer deadline.  

The 24-year-old player, who has 30 Ukraine caps, joins the Bergamo club seven days after Argentinian playmaker Alejandro "Papu" Gomez left for Sevilla.   

Atalanta are seventh in Serie A. They face Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, starting with the home leg on February 24. 

Kovalenko has played 24 matches in the competition. Shakhtar twice beat Real in this season's group stage. Kovalenko missed the win at the Bernabeu, but started in the 2-0 home victory. He also played twice against Atalanta last season.  

In Bergamo, he joins compatriot Ruslan Malinovskyi, another Ukrainian international midfielder who started his career at Shakhtar. 

Italian media reported that Kovalenko had signed until 2025 for an annual salary of around two million euros.