Central midfielder of "Atalanta U-18" and the junior national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Dragan talked about his new professional contract with the Bergamasques and prospects in Italy.
Oleksandr Dragan
— Oleksandr, tell us about signing a professional contract with "Atalanta".
— It was not a signing, but a renewal of the contract. The term of the new agreement is until 2029. Of course, the conditions have improved.
— Have you already trained with the first team of "Atalanta"?
— Yes, I am training with the first team.
— Tell us about Gasperini's working methods? As we know, he is a very strict coach.
— That’s true, Gasperini is a strict coach. But he always pulls young players into the first team and guides them on the right path. For young players, he tries to be like a dad.
— Have you talked to Gasperini about what he thinks about your prospects?
— He gives me tips on how to act on the football field. And regarding my prospects, he can’t say anything because other people make decisions — the club directors.
— What does Gasperini require from you on the field?
— He requires me to be active and play aggressive attacking football.
— Who impressed you in the first team training, and you thought: wow, this is a top level?
— There are three people — de Ketelaere, Lookman, and Retegui. That's top level!
— Which first-team player took you under their wing?
— Lookman. As a person, he is very pleasant, friendly, cheerful, always with a smile on his face. Ademola radiates kindness.
— What advice did he give you based on his experience?
— Lookman told me: "Boy, just have fun on the field. Football is fun. You don’t need to stress, always be relaxed and then everything will be fine".
— You have very strong competitors in your position — de Ketelaere, Pasalic, Lookman, de Roon. How do you assess your level compared to them, will you be able to impose competition?
— They have a very high level, but slowly, without rushing, let's see how it goes in the future. I am ready for competition. I still have everything ahead of me.
— When will we see you in the first team squad of Atalanta?
— This season is unlikely. Right now, Atalanta has very high goals, and no one will take risks by releasing young players. But next season, let's see. I hope to get a chance; for this, I will give 200 percent in training.
— Are you already ready to play in Serie A?
— Always ready (laughs, — note by A.P.).
— Tell our Ukrainian fans, who cannot follow your matches, which top footballer in your position you resemble in terms of playing style?
— I think of Joao Felix when I’m deployed in the center of the field. However, sometimes I play as a left winger. About 80 to 20 percent. Personally, I feel more comfortable playing in the center; that’s my natural position. I can also play as a holding midfielder, box-to-box, and just behind the striker.
— Who is your idol?
— Kevin De Bruyne. I try to model myself after him.
— How do you spend your free time in Bergamo, maybe you enjoy video games?
— Mainly, I’m studying the Italian language. I also walk around the city with my foreign friends who live with me at the training ground. As for video games, I’m not a fan of them.
— Do they still talk about Malinovskyi and Kovalienko at Atalanta?
— Malinovskyi is often mentioned. When they learned that I was from Ukraine, they joked: "Oh, are you not his son, by chance?". I answered that no.
Also, Atalanta players said that Malinovskyi has the worst music taste they have ever heard in their lives (laughs, — note by A. P.). But I can't say anything about that because I don’t know what he listened to.
— Did you try to promote your music in Atalanta's locker room to erase the memory of Malinovskyi's tastes?
— I tried, but no one allows young players to connect to the speaker.
— And what music do you listen to?
— Mostly, American rap, hip-hop, and Italian music, which helps me understand the language. I really liked it. I also follow Ukrainian performers. I completely excluded Russian music from my playlist.
— Have you communicated with Malinovskyi and Kovalienko?
— We trained at the same training ground, but when they were at Atalanta, I was not yet involved in the first team. I saw how they train, but I didn’t contact them.
— Let’s talk a bit about the national team. How was it playing in the junior team of Ukraine under Yurii Moroz?
— Excellent! Yurii Leontiyovych has a lot of experience. He explained everything, broke down the opponents’ tactics. From the coaching staff's side, there is a very professional approach. I can't say a single bad word.
— Why did the failure happen at Euro, where our team failed to make it to the playoffs from a fairly average group (losses to Serbia 0:1 and Czech Republic 1:3, and victory over Cyprus 2:0)?
— It seems to me that our attitude towards this group played a significant role. We passed the qualifying round very confidently, and the opponents at the Euro seemed weaker on paper than they were in qualification. And we thought, "Well! We will get through easily." And this is what happened. But this is just my opinion.
— What did Moroz say after Euro, was there an analysis of what went wrong?
— Yurii Leontiyovych said that we lacked experience.
— Which players from our U21 team can you highlight, who stands out?
— The national team always calls the best of the best, and every player who gets there is of a very high level.
— What do you say about Artem Stepanov, who has already debuted for Bayer's first team?
— I would characterize him with one word — Monster! — Artem is my good friend, and I know he works very hard on himself, so he rightfully gets opportunities in Bayer's first team. I am sure he will become the second Haaland. Erling should beware; his replacement is already growing (laughs, — note by A.P.).
— Well, and the last question: where do you see yourself in ten years?
— Minimum — as a core player for "Atalanta". And if I dream, then it’s the EPL and "Manchester United". I have been supporting this club since childhood. My first jersey was from MU, and I always wanted to be there.
— Where did you get the MU jersey?
— I was gifted it on my birthday when I turned 5 years old.
— I hope your dream comes true. Our people are always needed in the EPL.
— Thank you very much! I will try my best.
Andrii Piskun
