Category: Future Stars

Who are the next big players coming out of Italy? Whether it’s the young Italians to watch or the Worldwide stars forging a path in Italy…

Serie A’s Next Great Crisis: Losing Its Future Stars

In just the past year, Italy has watched a golden generation slip through its fingers. Mateo Retegui headed to Saudi Arabia, Giovanni Leoni swapped Parma for Liverpool, Riccardo Calafiori moved abroad, and Diego Coppolla packed his bags too. They’re part of a growing list of young Italian footballers leaving Serie A in search of opportunity, money, and trust.

It’s a worrying pattern — and one that could shape the future of Italian football for decades.

The Growing Exodus

This summer Italy lost her top scorer to the Saudi Arabian league. Not such a shock that Italian teams can’t keep up with the wages in Saudi Arabia, even the Premier League struggles with that. What was alarming was that Mateo Retegui is 26 years old, and had just won the Capocannoniere (top scorer award).

Then, after Juventus, Inter and Milan were all circling the Parma prodigy Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool swooped out of nowhere and took the centre back to England. The reported fee of €40m shouldn’t really have been too beyond the three biggest clubs in Italy.

As well as this, Calafiori headed to London last summer, Diego Coppolla has chosen Brighton this summer. Some players you’ve probably never heard of that have left Italy include Samuel Pia and Luca Reggianni are both in Germany at Dortmund, Manuel Pisano went over the Alps from Turin to Munich in 2023 and Guido Della Rovere went from Cremonese to Bayern too.

Why Are They Leaving?

It depends on the player, is the shortest answer we can give here… Leoni and Calafiori undoubtedly left because there was more money on the table in England than in Italy. This financial weakness was highlighted by Luigi De Siervo (CEO, Serie A) who blamed rampant illegal streaming for severe revenue losses. He estimates this to be roughly €300m annually, which is affected the wages that Italian clubs can pay, along with stifling investment into youth development and their infrastructure.

But lower down the age groups, why are players leaving Italian Academies for Germany? There’s no real player pathway for Italian footballers to break into the first team in Serie A. Unless you’re a truly exceptional talent, the over reliance on experienced players in Italy means there’s no way to force your way into the team. Therefore, the naturally inkling is to look elsewhere. Germany has a reputation for blooding young players, even the high stakes of the English Premier League give young kids a chance from time to time.

This brings an over reliance to Serie B or Serie C teams, the standard is much lower, the development isn’t as intense and the development window for great talent is missed. Players don’t see any Serie A minutes until the age of 22. Enzo Maresca (Chelsea Manager) even pointed at this reliance on “experience” led to the demolition of Inter Milan in the 2025 Champions League final.

Carlo Nesti (veteran journalist) paints a grim picture of life in Italy for young players. Serie A has a high foreign player ratio of 50-60%, with only about 3-6% of playing time in Serie A going to Under 21 Italian players, far below peers like La Liga and the Premier League. The Italian overemphasis on tactical rigidity and defensive habits along with dwindling grassroots and street football sees a demographic decline in young Italian players making the grade.

The Cost For Italian Football

The cost of the decline in young Italian talent staying in Italy is threefold. There’s the natural risk of a weaker national team, the loss of connection between clubs and their local communities and fans being deprived of seeing their own talent grow at home.

The national team weakness is fairly self explanatory. If your best young players scatter all over Europe, then they’ll grow up in different systems and different philosophies before returning to play together. In theory, the players could flourish under these better foreign academies, with much more game time – but they’re not likely to come together on national duty with similar outlooks and tactical ideas or even capabilities.

Football has always been a community sport. The clubs have been the heart of the communities, they’ve brought the local people together under one set of colours, one badge. And the strongest link to all of these clubs has been local homegrown talent. But when that talent is being lost before they’ve set foot on the pitch, there becomes a strain on the relationship. There’s no closeness between the fans and their club. How can they cheer for strangers, not from the area who don’t “understand” their club.

How To Stop The Drain

Full disclosure, and fans of the blog will already be aware of this, but I’m no politician. And I’m certainly not involved with the FIGC in any way. But there are ways to stop this drain.

Mandating Youth inclusion is an obvious one, but not a popular one. The more money that becomes up for grabs in European competition especially, the more the game becomes about win at all costs. But rules ensuring minutes for Under 21 Italian prospects have been called for, especially from Fabio Capello. He’s called for a radical shift in mentality, youth academies to prioritise Italian talents, including mandated young players to be included in Serie A squads.

Reforming the loan system would aid Italian players. If clubs weren’t able to ship out their entire youth prospects to Serie B and Serie C teams because of a limit on loans, then they would have no choice but to keep them closer to the first team squad to maximise their investment in them.

The obvious next step would be to include B teams or reserve teams in their own league. Giving a competitive element to youth development and bridging the gap between academies and the first team. I’m not a fan of Juventus/Milan/Inter Reserves all playing down in Serie C, in vastly uncompetitive matches with semi-pro players that just want to chase them and kick them. Having a reserve league of their own would enable competitive games without the need for “win at all costs”.

Investment in academies is an option for Italian clubs too. Perhaps too much of a simple one, given the financial pain they’re all currently facing. But certainly an investment in the coaching structure that these academies would help to keep Italian players in the very academies that produce them.

Conclusion

Italy still produces outstanding footballers — the problem is keeping them. Without a serious change in mentality, investment, and opportunity, Serie A risks becoming a league that develops stars for others to enjoy. The exodus of Retegui, Leoni, Calafiori, and Coppolla might not be the end of an era — it could be the beginning of a very long drought.

15th Aug 2025
Meet Lennon Miller, the new Scot in Italy

Italy’s love affair with Scotland is showing no signs of slowing down. Graham Souness rocked up at Sampdoria in 1984 to great fanfare and since then Scots have turned up in Mediterranean Europe on the regular with Lewis Ferguson being the first in what we’d call “modern day” football. Ferguson, so admired, won the Serie A MVP in 2024 and was followed last year by another Scot, literally. McTominay was a revelation last season, shedding the weight of trauma that Manchester United brings to earn himself a Scudetto and Ballon D’Or nomination at the same time.

He did so alongside Ayshire’s own Billy Gilmour in Napoli’s midfield and at the same time last season Che Adams contributed 9 goals and Josh Doig was contributing to Sassuolo’s Serie B title. But there’s a new Scot in town, arriving in Udine on the 12th August with no groundbreaking presentations or crowds rushing to meet him at the airport.

If Lennon Miller makes his debut against Hellas Verona on matchday one, he will have only just blown out the 19 candles on his birthday cake that morning. For such a young player, his career has taken off fairly quickly – and yet you probably don’t know much about him at all…

Lennon was born on 25th August 2006 in Wishaw, Scotland, son of former Scotland striker Lee Miller, he lost his mother at a young age. He joined Motherwell’s academy at age 7 and made his senior debut aged just 16 in a Scottish League Cup match – a club record for youngest player.

In December 2022, Lennon made his first senior league appearance against Rangers and would go on to make 32 appearances in the 2023/24 season. He contributed 8 assists and 2 goals across this season. This was a season during which he suffered a fractured patella and missed three months of action. The fractured patella isn’t the only injury issue Lennon has suffered, last season he also a hairline fracture to his ankle in December 2024.

This came only a month after he became the youngest captain in Motherwell’s history in a League Cup semi final against Rangers. Motherwell took the lead in this game but would go on to lose 2-1. The same season saw Lennon step up from his regular role in Scotland’s youth system to their first team, making his National Team debut against Iceland in June 2025 as a substitute and providing an assist a few days later in his first start against Liechtenstein.

Motherwell fans we spoke to raved about Lennon’s range of passing and his vision – on and off the ball. The dead ball ability of the player and his ability in ground duels is “the best we’ve ever seen at Motherwell”. Lennon can – and has – played as a Defensive Midfielder, a Central Midfielder and an Attacking Midfielder, showing his versatility through the centre of the pitch.

Last season Lennon made the second most forward passes of any Under 19 player in Europe ahead of the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Warren Zaire-Emery and Desire Doue. He also ranked first in Europe for Under 19 players in assists, expected assists and through passes completed as well as second in long passes completed, progressive passes and shot assists.

This is a progressive player, always looking to get forward and create. This sort of aggressive, attacking play will endear him to the locals in Udine. Being accepted by the crowds will help him to settle – always the biggest issue for “Brits Abroad”. The different languages and cultures as well as the style of play often leaves Brits underwhelming in Europe. Something about this doesn’t seem to apply to the Scottish, however, and Udinese fans will hope that Lennon Miller is the next in a long line of success stories.

15th Aug 2025
Giovanni Leoni: What Can Liverpool Expect

The news broke yesterday that Liverpool were continuing their PSR approved prolific spending spree and they’d aimed their cross hairs at Parma’s teenage centre half Giovanni Leoni. The 19 year old defender has risen quickly to prominence in Italy and while the top Serie A clubs were circling like sharks, none can match Liverpool’s spending power or the pull of the Premier League and we fully expect him to end up on Merseyside.

So the big question is for Liverpool fans: who is this kid and what can we expect from him? Well look no further, we’ve got all the information required for you to sound like you know your stuff down the pub this weekend.

Giovanni Leoni

Date of birth: 21st December 2006

Height: 6ft 2in

Position: Right sided centre back, right footed

Clubs: Padova (youth), Sampdoria, Parma (current)

International: Italy U19: 7 appearances

Overview

In winter 2024, the boy from Rome was loaned from Padova to Sampdoria in Serie B with an option to buy. His coach Andrea Pirlo quickly recognised his talent there commenting that he was “Sure he’d reach Serie A, he deserves it”.

In one of the more peculiar Italian transfer quirks, he was transferred to Sampdoria where he signed a three year contract on 25th June 2024. He then moved to Parma on 27th August 2024 following their promotion to Serie A.

Parma initially struggled in Serie A but when renowned former Inter centre back Christian Chivu came to the helm, they stepped up their survival fight and Leoni was named man of the match in hard fought 1-0 over the mighty Juventus. He was also widely acclaimed during a 2-2 against Inter where he ably defended Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram.

Come this summer, Inter appointed Chivu as manager and they immediately began circling Leoni, as well as Juventus and Milan. Italian football being what it is, Parma wanted more than the three could afford, they wanted to make a deal and yet again the English Premier League has some money to throw at the deal and another young promising Italian talent appears to be heading to England. Maybe he can open an Italian restaurant with Calafiori.

Giovanni Leoni, Strengths

Leoni is cool under siege, it was his performance against Juventus that showed this. He has great concentration, his positioning is fantastic and he reads the game well, as per every single Italian defender ever.

Paolo Maldini once said, “if I need to make a tackle then I’ve already made a mistake” and Leoni embodies this. He rarely dives in, he’ll stay touch tight to his man and tracks cut-backs very well.

Leoni doesn’t turn the ball over cheaply. It’s often simple and safe distribution, he’ll help the team build through the defensive midfield and he has an average of 87.7% pass completion rate in Serie A last season.

He has a high volume of blocks and emergency actions, showing his appetite for reading danger, how he recognises situations arising and can snuff them out. He’s a typical “Italian Centre Half” in that he reads the game, snuffs out attacks and plays simply out of defence.

He has a great temperament, making his Serie B debut at 16 years of age and Serie A at 17. He remains a set piece threat with two goals from corners to his name so far.

Areas to Improve

Of course, no defender is perfect – no matter how Italian – and a teenager will obviously have areas to improve. Leoni isn’t slow by any stretch of the imagination, but at Premier League tempo he’ll be stressed by runners across his shoulder. His improvement will be required in his angles and first step acceleration.

Despite his height (over 6 foot), Leoni’s aerial win rate lags behind his peers. It isn’t a lack of willing, however, it’s his strength and timing in the air that needs work. He couldn’t wish for a better mentor than he would find at Liverpool with van Dijk.

Finally, his distribution is short and safe. His stats show very low progressive passes and carries – at Liverpool he would need to add line-breaking passes or carries to suit Liverpool’s possession game.

What can Liverpool expect?

In the short term, if the move is completed, Leoni would initially suit Liverpool as a depth or rotation centre back. There would be immediate competence in deep-block defending, set piece value and low-risk distribution. Working alongside a dominant aerial partner and a ball progressing number 6 he would learn quickly and adapt well in the Premier League.

In the medium to long term, I would expect his progression to make him one of the better defenders in England. If he can work well on his ball progression and his aerial ability in addition to his existing defensive anticipation he could be the next big Italian centre half, in the Cannavaro mould.

Summary

So there you have it, Reds fans, you’re going to be getting (it seems) a very able and promising centre back. He’s capable and still has room to improve in his game. Italians don’t always settle in the UK, they find it tough, so that mental aspect will be interesting to see. It looks on the face of it that he would be resilient enough to cope, given he made his professional debut at 16 and his Serie A debut at 17.

You can never predict the future, but Leoni certainly has a bright future in the game, hopefully he can succeed in England.

13th Aug 2025
Shining Stars: The Under 23 prospects to look out for this season in Serie A
When I was growing up, Serie A was all about the biggest names, the biggest price tags and the biggest reputations. Now, that mantle has passed to the Premier League and as a cynical 30-something year old, I’m bored of all that. What gets me interested in football now is seeing academy graduates make it through. Watching them tentatively replace a bigger name in the 80th minute and then remembering that moment 4 years later when Liverpool pay €80m for him to sit on their bench.

So I’ve done a deep dive, with the help of some Googling and some podcast listening – and here’s who to look out for this season breaking through into Serie A, and some Serie A players who broke through last season who I expect to make an impact this time around…

Francesco Camarda (CF, Lecce on loan from AC Milan)
- Age: 17
- Nationality: Italian
- Height: 1.89m
Profile: A prodigious striker who became the youngest player in Serie A history when he debuted for Milan aged just 15 years and 260 days. Camarda is a generational youth prospect, having scored over 400 goals at youth level and drawing comparisons to a young Erling Haaland due to his size, finishing instinct, and movement.

Tactical Analysis: Camarda excels in the box, using intelligent movement to escape defenders and make runs across the front line. He’s composed in 1v1 situations and has an advanced sense of space. He can operate as a lone striker in a 4-3-3 or as part of a front two in a 3-5-2, where his ability to combine and occupy centre-backs becomes even more dangerous.

Outlook 2025/26: Loaned to Lecce to gain first-team experience. Expect him to be eased in gradually but could finish the season as a starter. Key focus will be on how he adapts to the physicality of senior defenders.

Francesco Pio Esposito (CF, Inter)
- Age: 19
- Nationality: Italian
- Height: 1.88m
Profile: The younger brother of Salvatore Esposito, Francesco Pio is carving out a name for himself as one of Italy’s most promising centre-forwards. Developed in Inter’s academy, he spent last season on loan at Spezia in Serie B, showing flashes of maturity, aggression, and technical development. He has represented Italy at every youth level and was impressive in Inter’s short Club World Cup campaign this summer.

Tactical Analysis: Esposito is a physically robust striker who plays with his back to goal exceptionally well. He’s strong in the air, holds up play to bring others in, and presses defenders with real intensity — making him a natural fit for teams playing a high-energy, vertical style. Technically tidy, with solid link-up play, he thrives when partnered with a more mobile or creative second striker.

Outlook 2025/26:
Inter have opted to retain Esposito rather than loan him out again, despite interest from Serie A clubs and even Premier League teams. Signed to a new contract through 30 June 2030, he’s expected to be part of the senior squad in Chivu’s rotation system. While he may not start every match, Esposito is almost certain to feature as an impact sub or rotational starter, particularly in Coppa Italia and midweek fixtures.

Nicolò Savona (RB/FB, Juventus)
- Age: 22
- Nationality: Italian
- Height: 1.92m
Profile: A tall, elegant full-back who rose through the Juventus ranks and began earning minutes under Thiago Motta. He is known for his intelligent positioning, clean tackling, and comfort on the ball.

Tactical Analysis: Savona operates primarily as a right-back but has the tactical intelligence to play in an inverted full-back role. He contributes to build-up by stepping into midfield, offering an outlet in possession, and helping to compress space in transitions. His aerial ability also provides an asset in defending set-pieces.

Outlook 2025/26: May not be around much longer in Serie A with the Premier League circling. I would fancy him to get plenty of minutes if he stays. Unfortunately with English clubs already interested, any stay would be very brief.

Aaron Ciammaglichella (CM, Torino)
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Italian
Profile: A product of Torino’s youth academy, Ciammaglichella is a highly rated central midfielder who has been compared stylistically to Lorenzo Pellegrini. He is part of Italy’s U20 setup and has been identified as a future national team player.

Tactical Analysis: A box-to-box midfielder who thrives in high-tempo matches. He presses aggressively, tracks back reliably, and has the passing range to play progressive balls. Capable of operating in a double pivot or as the advanced midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.

Outlook 2025/26: Torino are expected to hand him more consistent minutes off the bench, with the potential to become a starter in the second half of the season depending on injuries or tactical changes.

Giovanni Leoni (CB, Parma)
- Age: 18
- Nationality: Italian
Profile: A highly mature centre-back for his age, Leoni impressed with Parma and has seamlessly stepped up to Serie A level. Juventus and Inter have shown interest.

Tactical Analysis: Leoni is a modern centre-back: aggressive in duels, confident in possession, and adept at playing line-breaking passes. He reads danger early and positions himself smartly in a high defensive line. Particularly effective in a three-man defence where he can cover wide spaces.

Outlook 2025/26: Expected to start regularly for Parma if he’s still there come 23rd August. If Inter can offload some players it’s widely expected he’ll be playing there next season. Expect to see an Azzurri call up for friendly squads.

Simone Pafundi (AM/Winger, Udinese)
- Age: 19
- Nationality: Italian
Profile: Once dubbed the “Italian Messi” in youth circles, Pafundi has been a regular fixture in Italy’s youth teams and is slowly being integrated into Udinese’s first team. Despite his small stature, he boasts incredible flair and agility.

Tactical Analysis: Pafundi thrives in the left half-space, where he can drive at defenders and pick out passes between the lines. He’s best used as a roaming attacking midfielder or wide playmaker. Relies on quick feet, vision, and anticipation rather than physicality.

Outlook 2025/26: A make-or-break season. Needs consistent playing time and end-product to secure a long-term role in Udinese’s project or attract interest from bigger Serie A sides.

Lorenzo Venturino (RW, Genoa)

Screenshot
- Age: 19
- Nationality: Italian
Profile: Emerged at the back end of the 2024/25 season, scoring twice in Genoa’s final game. Fast-tracked through the academy, Venturino is one of Italy’s most explosive young wingers.

Tactical Analysis: Direct and pacey, Venturino is dangerous in 1v1s. He hugs the touchline and beats defenders with acceleration before cutting inside to shoot. Can also play off the left to utilise his stronger right foot.

Outlook 2025/26: Expected to be a regular feature off the bench, with growing responsibilities depending on his ability to deliver goals and assists in limited minutes.

Lorenzo Anghelè (CF, Juventus Next Gen)
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Italian
Profile: A sharp and mobile striker with a knack for finding space in the box. He scored regularly in Serie C and was rewarded with a senior debut last season.

Tactical Analysis: Anghelè is a classic poacher with intelligent positioning. He’s quick across short distances and capable of linking play with one-touch combinations. Best suited to a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 alongside a physical partner.

Outlook 2025/26: Likely to split time between Juventus Next Gen and sporadic first-team appearances. Could push for more minutes if injuries or squad rotation open a window, especially if they can’t get Kolo Muani over the line

As Serie A enters the 2025/26 season, the spotlight won’t just be on the usual title contenders or big-name signings — it will shine just as brightly on the emerging talents poised to shape the league’s future. From Camarda’s goal-scoring instincts to Leoni’s composure at the back, this new wave of Italian prospects reflects a league rediscovering its identity through youth development. Keep a close eye on these players — they might not just break through, but break out in a big way. The future of Calcio is already here — and it’s looking brighter than ever.
7th Aug 2025