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Filippo returns this week after an extended break to give us Part 2 of his article regarding the Top Young Italian Talents, if you didn’t read the excellent Part 1 you can read it here:
You can follow Filippo on Twitter here @FilippoFest. Over to you Filippo
After going through the best 11 emerging Italian stars, it’s time to dab into the pool of less proven players. Some of the guys I’ll be talking about are already making a name for themselves, others are only talked about in obscure transfer rumors, and there’s a few shots in the dark, as I like to do.
The Elites
Gianluigi Donnarumma (1999, goalkeeper, AC Milan) is the next big thing, judging from his first Serie A season at the age of 16. He shows incredible confidence and reflexes and (quite notably for an Italian goalkeeper) great timing in his adventurous defenses of the box. It is quite symbolic that his first years coincide with Gianluigi Buffon’s last, a passing of the torch from one of the all-time greatest, with whom Donnarumma shares a first name and a similar hype surrounding an early debut (as was the case for Buffon with Parma twenty years ago).
Davide Calabria (1996, right back, AC Milan) is another emerging star of Italy’s U21 National Team. A defensive-minded right-back, Calabria can play on both sides like his teammate De Sciglio, with similar skills off the ball. While Calabria can improve his offensive contribution, he’s already shown he can thrive in a back 4 and possibly in a back 3 line.
Federico Barba (1993, centreback, VfB Stuttgart), a product of the AS Roma academy, has had a few false starts, including a recent injury that sidelined him at the beginning of his spell at Stuttgart. Standing at well over 6 feet, he relies on his physique to bully opposing forwards and on his impeccable focus to avoid costly mistakes. A natural leftie, he can play on the side, where he may lack the pace but he’s sure to deliver a few good crosses.
Edoardo Goldaniga (1993, centreback, Palermo) is one of the tallest players in Serie A, standing at a whopping 6’4”, a key strength in his style of play. He is a leader in the box when the ball is in the air, which also makes him dangerous on the offense – he scored 6 in the past two seasons. While Goldaniga needs a quicker partner to compensate for his lack of raw pace, he is extremely reliable when his team needs to defend deep. One of the only good players in Palermo’s cataclysmic season.
Adam Masina (1994, left back, Bologna) has left the Italian press in awe in his Serie A rookie season, where he thrived as one of the most consistent left backs in the entire league. Masina is an offensive-minded player, capable of many dangerous runs through the left flank in a game. And don’t let his age fool you: this is only his second season as a pro, and he’s quickly covering ground to show that he’s a top league player.
Jose Mauri (1996, playmaker, AC Milan) had his eyes set on a good Serie A season last year, after a promising debut in 2014, but his team (Parma) went bankrupt. He was one of the few high notes of the club’s season, which earned him a move to Milan, but he’s yet to play for the rossoneri. Milan’s manager Mihajlovic thinks of him as a key player for the future, but the Argentine-born playmaker is eager to prove he can be the new Mascherano – like the Barcelona star, Mauri is both good at moving the ball around and taking it back in the midfield. Jose Mauri has played for the Italian National Team at several youth levels, but as of now he seems to prefer Argentine.
Rolando Mandragora (1997, holding midfielder, Juventus) has already commanded a 6m transfer fee in his move from Genoa to Juventus, even though he was immediately loaned back to the club he was playing in, Pescara. He’s physically imposing and tackles hard, while at the same time being able to redistribute the ball without blunders. The one thing he lacks is mobility, but he works extremely well in front of the defensive line.
Mattia Vitale (1997, box-to-box, Juventus) is one the most versatile young players in Italy, considering that he started as a forward and is slowly moving deeper into the midfield. He draws many comparisons with Claudio Marchisio, considering they both have excellent offensive qualities but are more useful in the Busquets role. Vitale is the youngest player to ever debut in Serie A with Juventus, but he’s had to climb the ranks from below, starting from a loan spell at Serie B club Lanciano. If he keeps improving, he’s a sure name for Serie A in the next years.
Federico Bernardeschi (1994, winger, Fiorentina) has just won the Best U21 in Italy Award, as voted by all Serie A, B and Lega Pro managers, and he’s played with Antonio Conte’s National Team. Bernardeschi owes this resurgence to Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa, who featured him as a starter after he missed the previous season due to a foot injury. The talented winger is easily on par with Berardi in raw skill and tactical intelligence, but he needs to get up to speed to compensate for the time spent on the sidelines. He seems to be doing just fine, but he’s going to have to keep improving to achieve greatness.
Alberto Cerri (1996, striker, Juventus) is one of the many victims of Parma’s bankruptcy, but he’s managed to hold his career together thanks to Juventus, who keep hoarding talents and loaning them around. Cerri is playing for Cagliari in Serie B, trying to improve on his previous Serie B season on loan at Lanciano. He’s not lighting the world on fire right now, but he just needs a tactical environment where he can thrive, not only as a goalscorer but also as a target guy doubling as an assist man.
Luca Vido (1997, forward, AC Milan) is a mainstay for Italy’s youth teams, having featured in the U15 to U19 National Teams with 15 goals in 30 appearances. He excels at playing second striker alongside a more physical teammate, but of course he’s a shot in the dark since he has never played a game as a pro. He’s showing glimpses of great talent in the Italian youth league and next year could be the start of his career with a loan spell in Serie B.
Thanks Filippo a great article there and certainly some players to look out for over the next few years. Keep an eye out for the the next of Filippo’s Serie A reviews once the action picks up again this Weekend.
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