Thursday’s reports claim that 18-year-old forward Samuele Inacio could be handed a call-up to the senior Italy national team squad in September and that he could potentially be handed his competitive international debut in order to fend off interest from Brazil, who have sent scouts to watch the teenager over the last few days.
Italy facing competition from Brazil for Inacio international rights
Inacio is one of the brightest talents of the Italy youth ranks but is eligible to represent both Italy and Brazil at international level. He was born in Bergamo to an Italian mother and a Brazilian father, Pia, who had spells with Atalanta and Napoli among various other Italian sides during his playing career.
Inacio, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Atalanta as a teenager, was handed his first cap for the senior Italy national team back in June by interim head coach Silvio Baldini.
However, this was only a friendly against Luxembourg, which means that Inacio is still eligible to represent either Italy or Brazil in competitive international fixtures.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, scouts from the Brazil national team have recently been to observe Inacio in a pre-season friendly between Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal at The Emirates Cup in London.
The Selecao are reportedly interested in capping Inacio in a competitive fixture in order to tie him down to the Brazil side for years to come.
Thursday’s report claims that Inacio’s ‘priority’ is still with Italy, and that the Azzurri are aiming to give the 18-year-old some minutes in a competitive fixture in the near future in order to fend off the interest from Brazil. Di Marzio’s report suggests that this could potentially happen as early as September.
