Madrid (AFP) – Sevilla said on Tuesday they had reached an agreement to sign Argentine playmaker Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez from Atalanta of Serie A.

The Spanish club said the Argentine, who turns 33 in February, had signed until June 2024.

Gomez could become a belated replacement for compatriot Ever Banega, who left to play in Saudi Arabia after Sevilla won the Europa League in August.

Earlier in the day, Gomez described his mixed emotions on leaving Bergamo-based Atalanta where he was club captain but fell out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

"It's a mixture of feelings, after so many years in this city," Gomez told Sky Sport Italia.

"I'm sad, and also happy. Sometimes things happen and go a certain way, but I would do it all again because we wrote the history of this club. I leave Atalanta at the top in Europe."

Gomez joined Atalanta in 2014 from Ukrainian outfit Metalist Kharkiv, and skippered them to the Champions League quarter-finals on their competition debut.

He scored 59 goals in 252 games for Atalanta.

Gomez fell out with Gasperini after a clash during half-time in a European match this season.

The club went through to the last 16 of the Champions League for the second consecutive season where they will play 13-time winners Real Madrid.

"The fans? I'll miss them a lot, Bergamo is in my heart. We will surely see each other again soon," added Gomez, who has scored one goal in five appearances for Argentina.