5️⃣ young players to watch in Serie A this season 👶 | OneFootball

A league that has an undeserved reputation for being home for older, experienced stars still churns out plenty of young talent.

Here are five such players to keep an eye on in Serie A this season.

Charles De Ketelaere (Milan)

Belgium’s next big thing makes the step up to the big time after agreeing a move to Milan for a pricey reported €35m fee.

The 21-year-old arrives as the most exciting playmaker the Rossoneri have recruited since Kaká almost 20 years ago and comparisons, given his elegant ability to glide beyond opponents and ruthless finishing, haven’t taken long to surface.

Although his new club team-mate and international colleague Divock Origi sees it a little differently. “He is half Kaká and half Kai Havertz.” Either way, De Ketelaere is extremely exciting.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

In a summer in which Napoli have lost so many fan favourites in Lorenzo Insigne, Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens, the Georgia international, who has already earned the nickname Kvaradona, at least gives them reason for hope.

He arrives from Rubin Kazan via Dinamo Batumi for a €12m fee and the Partenopei will be hopeful that it is at the Stadio San Paolo where he makes the step up to the next level that so many expect from him.

A devastating dribbler, he’s set to torture defences in Serie A this season if pre-season is anything to go by and early indications are that he’ll be a huge hit in Naples. He managed four goals and two assists in his six appearances in his summer exploits.

Destiny Udogie (Udinese)

Enjoy the 19-year-old while you can in Italy because Udogie has already reportedly agreed on a deal to join Tottenham, although he will remain in Udine for another season of development before moving to London next summer.

That is a wise move from all parties because it would be a travesty to halt the left-back’s progress and rapid rise in his breakout season with the Zebrette after arriving from Hellas Verona last summer, a campaign which also saw him register five goals and three assists from defence.

He has all the attributes to be the perfect marauding wing-back in Antonio Conte’s system and it looks like Tottenham have made a very wise call in swooping fast before a) the competition increases and b) his price tag skyrockets.

Agustín Álvarez (Sassuolo)

From a country that has produced plenty of elite centre forwards over the past two decades, Uruguay may have done it again.

Sassuolo won the race for one of South America’s top striking prospects this summer with a swoop for the 21-year-old Álvarez who, despite his tender years, has an impressive 34 goals already at senior level for Peñarol.

He has big shoes to fill with the departed Gianluca Scamacca but all indications are that he will be trusted with a starting spot and given the chance to impress.

Pietro Pellegri (Torino)

Remember him? It is surprising to note that Pellegri is still just 21 and certainly capable of fulfilling his exciting early potential – given how much he has packed into his career to date.

His maiden goal for Genoa at 16 saw him become Serie A’s third youngest scorer of all time and he can also count major clubs like Monaco (who paid €25m for him in 2018) and Milan among his employers, as well as winning a cap for his country in 2020 but things have stagnated recently for a player once viewed as Italy’s next great striking hope.

He didn’t quite get going on a loan spell with Torino in the latter half of last season but with club captain and icon Andrea Belotti now departed, the Granata faithful are crying out for a new hero to fill the void. If he can recapture his confidence and, most importantly, stay injury-free (which has been the major issue holding him back so far) then Pellegri can be that man.