Italian talent with Bulgarian roots, Manuel Zlatanov, has officially returned to Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza. The club announced that the 18-year-old outside hitter has signed a contract for the next three seasons and will once again wear the jersey of the team whose academy he grew up in.
Manuel is the grandson of Bulgarian volleyball legend Dimitar Zlatanov and the son of Hristo Zlatanov, former captain of the Italian national team and the club's general director. After leaving Piacenza's academy two years ago to gain experience, he now returns as a first-team player.
Last season, Zlatanov played for Ravenna in Serie A2, where he was a teammate of two Bulgarian national players – Samuil Valchinov and Hristiyan Dimitrov. In his two seasons with the club, he played 59 matches, recorded 38 wins, and scored a total of 618 points, including 496 in attack, 52 aces, and 70 blocks.
Piacenza describes the young outside hitter as one of the most promising volleyball players in Italy. The club emphasizes that he combines excellent physicality, powerful attack, stable back-row play, and significant international experience gained with various Italian youth national teams.
Manuel has already made history in Italian volleyball. On December 3, 2023, he debuted for Piacenza in the SuperLega against Verona at just 15 years, 8 months, and 26 days old, becoming the youngest debutant in the history of the elite league.
On the international stage, Zlatanov also boasts impressive achievements. In 2023, he won the European title with Italy U17, and then triumphed at the World Championship in Sofia, where he was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) and best outside hitter of the tournament. In 2024, he was selected for the All-Star team at the U18 European Championship held in Bulgaria, where Italy finished with silver medals. This summer, he also participated in the U22 European Championship in Portugal.
"I am very happy to have signed with Piacenza. I am convinced that I made the right choice. This is a stable club that is constantly developing and believes in young players. My return here means that I have been working correctly in recent years. Two years ago, I left the academy, and now I am returning for a completely new challenge with the first team, and I can't wait to start," Manuel Zlatanov told Piacenza's official website.
Piacenza's Sports Director, Ninni De Nicolo, also did not hide his satisfaction with the transfer.
"We are very happy that we managed to bring home a player who grew up in our academy and is also one of the greatest talents in Italian volleyball. For Manuel, this is a return to his roots, and for us, it is a great satisfaction to welcome him back. We are convinced that he will greatly help the team and justify the trust the club has placed in him," commented De Nicolo to the club's official website.
photos: Nikolay Varadinov and legavolley.it
