Michael Kayode impressed on his first appearance for the Italy national team earlier this week, and U21s head coach Silvio Baldini has hinted that several other youngsters could be just around the corner. So, with that in mind, La Gazzetta dello Sport has come up with a list of 43 ‘youngsters’ that Roberto Mancini could turn to in order to bring back major tournament success.
Italy U21s coach Baldini told reporters on Wednesday that “all of my players can make the step up” to the senior team.
Baldini, who had a brief spell as interim head coach of the senior Italy side back in June, said last week that his U21 players have matured faster as a result of their being called up in place of the regular senior squad for a pair of international friendlies back in June
“This is a group that fills me with pride when we train and pride when we play. It was a great feeling in June, and as a result of it, the guys in the U21s have matured faster,” he said.
There is confidence that with Roberto Mancini back in charge of the senior Italy side, that there might be more opportunities for emerging youngsters on the international stage in the near future.
And, as a result, La Gazzetta dello Sport has released their long list of Italy youngsters who Mancini could rely upon in the next European Championship and World Cup campaigns.
Gazzetta’s 37 Italy youngsters to watch
Goalkeepers: Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Mattia Fortin (Palermo).
Centre-backs: Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Matteo Palma (Udinese), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Luca Reggiani (Borussia Dortmund).
Full/Wing-backs: Michael Kayode (Brentford), Marco Palestra (Chelsea), Emmanuele Lulli (Roma), Costantino Favasuli (Napoli), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham), Niccolo Fortini (Torino).
Midfielders: Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Niccolo Pisilli (Roma), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Mattie Liberali (Como).
Wingers/Forwards: Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Mohamed Ali Zoma (1. FC Nurnberg), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Luca Koleosho (Paris FC), Alphadjo Cisse (Milan), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Alessio Cacciamani (Torino).
Centre-forwards: Pio Esposito (Inter), Antonio Raimondo (Frosinone), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus).
