Chiesa Di Totti - Ranking Roma's Youth, 2019: An U23 CountdownCautiously Optimistic Since 2007https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48469/totti-fave.png2019-08-13T15:28:36+02:00http://www.chiesaditotti.com/rss/stream/205125562019-08-13T15:28:36+02:002019-08-13T15:28:36+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #1: Nicolò Zaniolo
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<figcaption>Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Once a relatively unknown makeweight in the Nainggolan deal, the Italian’s stock has risen exponentially since his arrival in Rome. </p> <p id="uwUx21">By now anyone who pays any reasonable amount of attention to European football knows the name of Nicolò Zaniolo. The kid took the Italian peninsula and eventually the continent by storm last year after arriving from Inter as a relatively unknown teenager last summer. With his star ever brightening, Zaniolo has attracted attention from the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal, Tottenham, and <a href="https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/">Juventus</a> since bursting onto the scene. Yet, despite rumors that an exit from the capital could happen for a hefty plusvalenza after just one season in Giallorosso, it looks like Gianluca Petrachi will be looking to extend his contract instead. Thus, Zaniolo has vaulted his way to the top of the CdT U23 rankings for the 2019-20 season. </p>
<h1 id="XhfpjR">Number One: Nicolò Zaniolo</h1>
<p id="3Ii9S0"><strong>Age</strong>: 20</p>
<p id="S9G2Jh"><strong>Position</strong>: Midfielder</p>
<p id="xggSA5"><strong>Previous Club</strong>: Inter Primavera</p>
<p id="q6LMNK"><strong>Rank Last Year</strong>: 10</p>
<p id="hLhWTZ"><strong>Future Comparison</strong>: Frank Lampard</p>
<h2 id="C0Y7Ai">Who is He?</h2>
<p id="XYNfxu">Zaniolo has begun to blaze quite the path to potential stardom. However, his career path didn’t always look so bright. He began his career in the <a href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> youth system before being released by the club as a seventeen-year-old. Zaniolo then found his way to Virtus Entella and made his Serie B professional debut. Just a year later Zaniolo was sold to Inter for a reported fee of €1.8 million, plus €1.7 million in bonuses. He subsequently lit up the Primavera level with Inter and then was shipped to Roma in the Nainggolan deal last summer. </p>
<p id="So2ndJ">After many were unsure where Zaniolo would start his Roma career, the then 19-year-old was with the first team from day one and the upward ascension began. Zaniolo was called up to the Italian National Team and made his <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> debut before ever playing in a Serie A match. Soon after, Zaniolo burst onto the scene in league play as well; scoring four goals in Serie A. However, his two goal performance against Porto in the Champions League Round of 16 put him into the European spotlight. </p>
<h2 id="J6liBy">What Can He Do?</h2>
<p id="w2LXJm">Zaniolo is a versatile player who can play in various positions around the pitch. Last season he was used as a right winger, deep lying midfielder, and even made an appearance as a false nine. However, his most effective position looks to be in the <em>trequartista</em> role. That’s where his best qualities can shine.</p>
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<p id="JGHrqT">Zaniolo’s a big strong kid, standing at 6’3” with a sweet left foot and he uses that big frame to keep possession. He’s a playmaker with plenty of finishing ability and his numbers as a Primavera player with Inter highlight that ability. Zaniolo had 14 goals and 11 assists in 35 appearances two seasons ago. </p>
<blockquote><p id="tMWHgw">As Francescso Totti himself summed up last season, “Zaniolo plays like a veteran. He has explosive strength and technique, and everything it takes to become a truly great player.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="dHB0FJ">Besides all of the quality that he oozes on the ball, Zaniolo also works hard off the ball. He can often be seen putting in his defensive shift as well, using his big frame to get into opposing passing lanes. He uses his physique to try and bully opposing players off the ball; an aspect of his game that needs refining. </p>
<h2 id="2XMhhv">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="dIXmAk">If last season is any indication, the sky is the limit for Zaniolo. He’s received plenty of praise from the likes of Totti, Mancini, and numerous others. However, he’s still young and raw with plenty to learn. If Zaniolo continues to work hard he has the potential to be Roma and Italy’s next number 10 for years to come. He’s a different type of player than Totti but looks like a player you can build a team around. Think Frank Lampard in his prime.</p>
<p id="oDqrWr">However, certain aspects of his game could use some refining. Even though he can play a killer through ball, as evidenced by his assist numbers, his overall passing could use some fine tuning. Additionally, even though his defensive work rate is to be applauded, he needs to pick and choose his spots better; Zaniolo committed lots of fouls and received eight yellow cards in league play. Also, for as tall as he his, Zaniolo doesn’t have much of an aerial game.</p>
<p id="18t3cH">The kids seems to have a good head on his shoulders, so if he can continue to improve, watch out. He could have a special career. Let’s just hope he’s in the capital long enough for us to enjoy it. </p>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/13/20799956/ranking-romas-youth-1-nicolo-zaniolossciavillo2019-08-12T15:30:00+02:002019-08-12T15:30:00+02:00Ranking Roma's Youth, #2: Lorenzo Pellegrini
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<figcaption>Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Could this be the year Pellegrini finally makes the leap into a top player?</p> <p id="vH87N4">The nature of our U23 countdown has changed a bit over the years, shifting from a passion project (I think I did the first countdown entirely alone) to a concentrated team effort with more depth and breadth than I ever could have imagined. Going forward we hope to shift the focus to players who haven't made their first team debuts, but throughout all these changes and different signals of intent there was been one constant in our U23 coverage: Lorenzo Pellegrini.</p>
<p id="gOHZ1u">From the crown of the Primavera system to the one who almost got away with <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sassuolo">Sassuolo</a>, Pellegrini has loomed large in the eyes of Roma prospect hounds for the past half decade. Since making his debut with Roma in the winter of 2015, Pellegrini has gone on to amass over 8,000 Serie A minutes, somewhat belying the fact that he only just turned 23 in June. </p>
<p id="z8BzRx">However, now that he's entering the transition phase in his career, moving from an up and comer to a core contributor, the next two seasons are critical for Pellegrini—will he become the star we all envisioned four years ago or just another solid-to-average squad piece?</p>
<p id="9YQJkn">We tend to lean towards the former, which is way he once again clocks in at number two.</p>
<h2 id="jzMjog">Number Two: Lorenzo Pellegrini</h2>
<p id="0pgAzo"><strong>Age</strong>: 23</p>
<p id="0wfIjb"><strong>Position</strong>: Midfield</p>
<p id="O42NCD"><strong>Future Comparision:</strong> Still sticking with the Pjanic/Isco/Iniesta hybrid</p>
<h2 id="3QOrXv">Who Is He?</h2>
<p id="nRwGya">By now you're no doubt aware where Pellegrini stands in the hearts and minds of Roma fans. Born and raised in the Eternal City and a graduate of the Roma academy, Pellegrini has always been third in the line of succession for the Crown of Totti, and now that <span>Daniele De Rossi</span> is finishing his legendary career in Argentina, fellow Roman Alessandro Florenzi has assumed the captains armband, making Pellegrini the new <em>Capitano Futuro</em>.</p>
<p id="McJumI">Pellegrini has had intermittent overtures from other teams, but lest you think he'll be tempted, <a href="https://www.asroma.com/en/news/2018/12/lorenzo-pellegrini-i-would-love-to-captain-roma-one-day">let this quote from 2018 </a>provide you some solace:</p>
<p id="ryhk9m"><em>I will never get tired of saying it: playing here, for a boy born in Rome, is something that gives me both great pride and a feeling of responsibility. When you go out there on the pitch it is like you are also representing your entire family, who all grew up wearing these colours.</em></p>
<h2 id="L5Zon4">What Can He Do? </h2>
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<p id="IeQNr6">While Pellegrini isn't a hybrid midfielder in the sense that he unilaterally allows Roma to shift formations between phases, his blend of attacking acumen and defensive work rate enables him to succeed in most midfield roles. Despite his ability to get stuck into a tackle and to pick off a pass (his 41 INTs in 2017-2018 were second only to De Rossi among midfielders), Pellegrini's calling is and will likely always remain passing and playmaking.</p>
<p id="ScFdNK">This past season, Pellegrini averaged 2.58 key passes per 90 minutes, leaving him with 59 total key passes, best on the squad last season. While his gross assist total (three) wasn't terribly impressive last term, he was top four in assists, expected assists and expected assists per 90 minutes. </p>
<p id="DHfVRN">Simply put, Pellegrini thrives in a quick, one-touch passing system, one in which he can work in tandem with his midfield partners to quickly advance the ball up the pitch. Just exactly where he fits in that attacking trio will depend on Roma's manager du jour, but he has spoken to a preference for playing as an attacking trequartista type, a role for which he is certainly suited. </p>
<h2 id="aYJ2tE">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="dFKP5D">Well, heading into only his third full season with his hometown club, Pellegrini will have the pleasure of suiting up for his third different manager, a pace that could make even the most veteran player dizzy, and as we've seen already the dance between Pellegrini's defensive duties and attacking freedom varied greatly between <span>Eusebio Di Francesco</span> and Claudio Ranieri, so the manner in which we measure <em>what he becomes</em> is necessarily dependent on who's calling the shots. </p>
<p id="K7UAJO">Under new manager Paulo Fonseca, Pellegrini could serve as the forward half of a double pivot alongside either Amadou Diawara or Steven Nzonzi, but he will likely sit further afield, slotting in behind Edin Dzeko/Mariano Diaz/Alexis Sanchez/<span>Mauro Icardi</span> or whoever the hell Roma hires as their number nine. </p>
<p id="Gqdl3g">Pellegrini's penchant to play pinpoint passes in proximity to his midfield mates should enable him to thrive in Fonseca's narrow, combination attack. Sitting in between the likes of Cengiz Ünder, Diego Perotti, Nicolo Zaniolo and maybe even Mirko Antonucci, Pellegrini will be the fulcrum of a tight and quick moving unit of attackers, working give and goes to attack opponents between their lines. Pellegrini should even find himself with the odd one-v-one on the keeper when Roma's striker drops back allowing him to make late runs into the box.</p>
<p id="D7LBHL">In a perfect world, Fonseca hits the ground running and Pellegrini thrives in this advanced role and the two walk arm in arm into Roma's Hall of Fame, their necks craning under the weight of all their winners medals. </p>
<p id="UE4mqk">If, however, that fairy tale doesn't come true, Pellegrini's sublime set of skills should still ensure a long and productive career with his boyhood club. </p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/12/20799945/ranking-romas-youth-2-lorenzo-pellegrinibren2019-08-10T16:29:17+02:002019-08-10T16:29:17+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #3: Amadou Diawara
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<p>The highest-ranked new signing on our list, Diawara is one of the most exciting young deep-lying midfielders in Europe. Can he become a superstar at Rome this season?</p> <h2 id="Bv52a7">Number Three: Amadou Diawara</h2>
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<p id="F8ZdTr"><strong>Age: </strong>22</p>
<p id="vGbkrT"><strong>Position:</strong> Midfielder</p>
<p id="0qmBCG"><strong>Previous Club: </strong>S.S.C. <a href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/">Napoli</a></p>
<p id="ODV4V7"><strong>Future Comparison:</strong> <em>looks around cautiously</em> <span>Daniele De Rossi</span>?</p>
<h2 id="kyWXgo">Who Is He?</h2>
<p id="k5Rfxx">Amadou Diawara is a Guinean international midfielder, born in Conakry, Guinea on July 17, 1997. After joining Lega Pro side San Marino in 2014 with nothing to his name except a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, his play quickly garnered attention from sides all across the Italian peninsula. Once he was able to use his first paycheck from San Marino to <a href="https://www.asroma.com/en/news/2019/7/10-things-to-know-about-amadou-diawara">“buy some shoes”</a>, it didn’t take long for renowned scout Pantaleo Corvino of <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/bologna">Bologna</a> to grab him for under €500,000, setting him up to become the most talked-about midfield prospect in Serie A during the 2015-2016 season.</p>
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<p id="0Tfz3K">Following that season where his breakout continued, Roma was <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2016/7/20/12232434/amadou-diawara-scouting-report-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly">one of many sides</a> interested in plucking Diawara from Bologna. Unfortunately, a move to Roma wasn’t in the cards at that particular moment. It would be Roma’s southern rivals, <em>i Partenopei</em>, who brought him into the fold. Obviously, a move from Bologna to Napoli for a young talented midfielder means that he won’t be the center of attention in the same way he was before. Despite that, Diawara continued to show that all the talent was there for the taking while playing in Naples, resulting in his <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/as-roma-transfer-news-rumors/2019/7/1/20676967/official-diawara-to-roma-for-21-million">move to Roma </a>this summer for €21 million.</p>
<h2 id="eA5V3W">What Can He Do?</h2>
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<p id="NcfbgR">The shining jewel of Diawara’s game is his passing ability. If you’ve been watching Roma’s pre-season friendlies, you’ve surely noticed how he can make a long-distance pinpoint pass seem easier than putting your shoes on in the morning. That ability is backed up statistically; Diawara had a 92% average passing accuracy in the 2018/2019 season, and passing maps show that he was expected to make <a href="https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/amadou-diawara-201819-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics">every kind of pass known to man</a> while on the field for Napoli. Add in the fact that he was doing this for a big club like Napoli, and it should be expected that he can transfer this passing ability to Roma and the way clubs of any size play against her.</p>
<p id="Mi81Nx">Diawara has also made a name for himself defensively; there’s a reason why he’s considered one of the best young midfielders with box-to-box ability in Europe. Dallagente’s <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/7/6/20682836/diawara-dream-as-roma">excellent analysis of Diawara’s game</a> from early July highlighted his interception ability, quality under pressure, and a strong candidate to protect Fonseca’s high line defense. All in all, the biggest hole in Amadou’s game is his knack for scoring or assisting (or lack thereof). Diawara only scored 2 goals and assisted 2 in 70 Napoli appearances. This isn’t to say he’s completely useless in this part of the game; if a “hockey assist” was a statistic in football, Diawara’s stats would look a whole lot nicer. He works as a crucial part of a build-up to a goal despite typically not being the man to actually put the ball into the net. Considering he’s only 22, don’t expect this to be a permanent flaw in his game, and if he’s able to turn it into a strength, he may very well become one of the best midfielders in the world.</p>
<h2 id="hsMxbR">What Can He Become?</h2>
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<img alt="AC Perugia v AS Roma - Pre-Season Friendly" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GjFE_H6Od1pByTrbUfhaHXr0B2Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/18942404/1158915516.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="AeAWm3">Just as it feels <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/1/20/18189863/is-any-current-roma-player-worthy-of-tottis-number-ten">mildly sacrilegious</a> to compare any young player to <span>Francesco Totti</span>, saying that a player seems like the next De Rossi just feels <em>odd</em>, and not just because he’s just made his move to Boca Juniors. <em>But</em>, if there was a player who you could picture as filling De Rossi’s cleats in the long term, it’d be Diawara. </p>
<p id="tiaCFh">At the age of 22, Diawara has shown consistency at various levels of Italian football, a tendency to combine defensive integrity and beautiful passing ability, and a strong mentality that means he won’t shrink from the spotlight. For a club that needs its players to have mettle, particularly following the departures of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, Amadou might be just what the doctor ordered in the short, medium, and long term.</p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/10/20791414/ranking-romas-youth-3-amadou-diawaraJimmy Miotto2019-08-09T22:30:00+02:002019-08-09T22:30:00+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #4: Cengiz Ünder
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<figcaption>Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>No one has shown more love, commitment and loyalty to modern-day Roma than Cengo.</p> <p id="Whwinu">If you want candidates for Mr. Roma then Cengiz Ünder is my nomination. We’ve been back and forth over whether Italian players are cost-effective, psychologically tapped into the club culture... or simply overhyped, overpriced and long on excuses. Cengiz removes all those excuses in his two seasons (and counting) of <em>Giallorosso</em> bloom.</p>
<p id="MLpXFW">The greatest Turkish player to have ever played for Rome (there’s next-to-no competition in this category so he wins by default) has to deal with twice as many social media followers as the next Roma player in his age or below. He took home the Italian press award for Best Young Player in Serie A in 2017/18, and Ünder has kept his international profile soaring at senior level with goals <a href="https://twitter.com/asromaen/status/1134165399451426817">against Greece</a> and <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7alk83">against world champions France</a> in 2019.</p>
<p id="wwb2VS">Did Ünder have a bad 2018/19 season? Unquestionably so after he missed 3 straight months through injury and struggled for fitness (let alone effective defending from the front) on his comeback. And yet his worst is still already a bigger contribution than most - <strong>6 goals and 12 assists in all competitions</strong> at club level made Ünder the joint-second most productive attacker (along with SES) in Roma’s squad last season behind Edin Dzeko. All this with Cengiz <strong>playing just 1378 minutes</strong> in a Roma jersey, when he was still only 21 years old.</p>
<h2 id="fWHN4a">Number Four: Cengiz Ünder</h2>
<p id="ttuMQO"><strong>Age</strong>: 22<br><strong>Position</strong>: Inside Forward/Winger<br><strong>Previous Club</strong>: Basaksehir<br><strong>Future Comparison</strong>: Cengiz Ünder</p>
<h2 id="gtoKRI">Who Is He?</h2>
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<p id="cow1B8">One of the most lethal left-foot marksmen in the business. If it weren’t for his 2-yard miss against Real Madrid, we’d have no problems calling Cengiz the best finisher in the squad. But more than that, Cengiz is loyal to Roma through and through.</p>
<p id="PzX80L">You’d think Roma’s most dangerous forward would kick up a fuss or play games in the press over his <strong>1 million euros per year net wage</strong>. He earns just 200,000 euros a year more than William Bianda and Luca Pellegrini, before Pellegrini left the club for bigger pastures. Ünder earns just 300,000 euros more a year than Nicolò Zaniolo.</p>
<p id="ZufbV1">In the summer of 2018 after his blockbuster finish to the season and picking up individual awards - an opportunity a lot of players take up to stirring the pot over prospective moves to Barcelona, Real Madrid or the Premier League - <a href="https://www.forzaroma.info/news-as-roma/under-la-roma-e-stata-la-scelta-giusta-sono-molto-felice-qui-voglio-vincere-lo-scudetto/">Cengiz simply told <em>Sky Italia</em></a><em>:</em> “Moving to Roma is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my entire life.”</p>
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<img alt="Hellas Verona FC v AS Roma - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/spi4CrcT0f_OPsoPk5VWV9F-mDw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/18956556/914106216.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="pnS1s2">12 months later, with Roma out of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> and Cengiz ripe for better pastures elsewhere, the <a href="https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/roma/2019/07/17-59020937/roma_under_e_sicuro_torneremo_in_champions_league_/">Turk simply rallied the team this pre-season</a>: “I think we’ll get back to the Champions League because this club, the fans and everyone deserves it.” </p>
<p id="pttqTQ">Originally hailing from the modern-day Turkish talent factory of Altinordu, Ünder made waves when moving to Basaksehir and helping the Istanbul-club to their best ever Turkish league finish of 2nd place in 2017. Then a move to Roma followed. Today, Ünder is the youngest ever Turkish player to score in European Cup history and holds a near 1-goal-every-2-games scoring record at senior international level.</p>
<h2 id="WAv5gr">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="LPAvdw">Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist. One of the best things about players like Ünder is he only has to find a right-foot in his locker and the world is his. It looks like he’s done exactly that in this pre-season. </p>
<p id="7ZH1ya">He always had the right-foot hanging crosses at the byline in his arsenal, but now he’s got the finishes in front of goal too. But okay, it’s not that simple if you really want to become a top-level forward.</p>
<p id="RRXZgd">The challenges for Cengiz are three-fold: For one, Claudio Ranieri (and EDF before him) rightly critiqued the Turk’s need to improve his defending from the front. The young winger is often found either out of position in a press or simply lacking the legs to keep tracking back for the full 90 minutes. Second, Cengiz himself has touched upon the related issue of building up his physique. He considers this to be the area he needs to keep improving without fail. Finally, he needs to find the confidence to keep playing with his head up and seeking out exchanges of passing with teammates, rather than the head-down 30-yard-runs to goal that players like Ünder and Perotti exemplify in recent Roma sides. </p>
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<img alt="Lille OSC v AS Roma - Friendly match" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rjCGntyXc5rPoIPRuJG3LbZ9Um4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/18956548/1165945547.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="WfGLLt">This latter point is especially important in Paulo Fonseca’s side. If Ünder does not grasp the mental side of the game, where he’s expected to keep opposition defences narrow and on their feet with his off-the-ball positioning in Fonseca’s team, that could mean Ünder prematurely hitting his ceiling in the Italian capital. </p>
<p id="Mhr6KX">It doesn’t help that he still struggles to speak Italian (though I don’t speak a word of Turkish despite my years of fanaticism for Turkish telenovelas - so I’m loathe to criticism him) nor that he failed to name either De Rossi or Totti in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPQutJKwoHo">his Dream Team Eleven</a>, but Cengiz is the model talent for Roma bar none. If you ever wanted to sign potentially world-class talent raising the level and morale of the club at a bargain, then Ünder is the blueprint.</p>
<p id="sk2NSA">The fork in the road ahead for Ünder is simple: Does he want to remain just a prolific scorer of great goals? Or become an all-round unplayable forward? Not a bad couple of choices to settle for in such a young career.</p>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/9/20758212/ranking-romas-youth-4-cengiz-underdallagente2019-08-08T15:00:00+02:002019-08-08T15:00:00+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #5: Justin Kluivert
<figure>
<img alt="Lille OSC v AS Roma - Friendly match" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5KQmMj847dZN9IjxXQQi_AdBkdk=/6x0:4202x2797/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64967533/1159718428.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Baptiste Fernandez/Icon Sport via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kluivert may have dropped down a slot in our top ten, but make no mistake: his time to shine at the Olimpico is now.</p> <p id="ZVxwMo">Considering how quickly Nicolo Zaniolo exploded on the scene and became Roma’s young hotshot of the future, it’s easy to forget the fanfare that surrounded Justin Kluivert’s signing last season. When he landed at Fiumicino, dallagente <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/as-roma-transfer-news-rumors/2018/6/11/17445790/justin-kluivert-fiumicino-arrival">summed up the mood</a> by saying:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="GGfrv2">Man... I just wanted to have my say on this one since it was the incoming signing I wanted the most - and truthfully I don’t even have much to say. If they called it a mercato and shut the gates tomorrow, we’ve made the one move I wanted this summer.</p>
<p id="7KkYjo">We’ve covered Justin Kluivert as a potential summer target <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/as-roma-transfer-news-rumors/2018/5/16/17355108/roma-cold-summer-2018-part-2"><strong>just over a month ago</strong></a> but, even at that time of writing, I didn’t really believe in landing him. I certainly thought it would cost a lot more with Man United and Barcelona in the picture. But instead Monchi cozied up to Mino Raiola and gradually Kluivert’s arrival seemed not just realistic <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/as-roma-transfer-news-rumors/2018/6/7/17439508/kluivert-negotiations-continue-between-roma-and-ajax"><strong>at the weekend</strong></a> but a foregone conclusion by <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/as-roma-transfer-news-rumors/2018/6/10/17446536/roma-kluivert-and-twitter-a-not-so-clandestine-conspiracy-theory"><strong>yesterday evening.</strong></a> </p>
</blockquote>
<p id="AxczFl">Don’t take Kluivert sliding one spot down on the Youth Rankings as an indicator that his potential isn’t as dazzling as it was a year ago. Even experienced players coming to Serie A from a foreign league often have a transitional season; one Bosnian Diamond immediately springs to mind. Add in the fact that he’s still one of the youngest players to be gracing our rankings, and it should be clear that the future of the Dutchman is still incredibly bright.</p>
<h2 id="DKWwmQ">Number Five: Justin Kluivert</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="International friendly match”Netherlands U21 v Mexico U21”" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nbwuzVxF2_2Ub0rhZ1T0ryD0v48=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/18939803/1147209441.jpg.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="tDpFs0"><strong>Age: </strong>20</p>
<p id="y89XiT"><strong>Position: </strong>Winger</p>
<p id="emXUK8"><strong>Previous Club: </strong>Ajax</p>
<p id="5U807C"><strong>Rank Last Year: </strong>#4</p>
<p id="4GFwHq"><strong>Future Comparison: </strong>Eden Hazard</p>
<h2 id="sM9vOx">Who Is He?</h2>
<p id="eUnsza">Justin Kluivert is a 20-year old Dutch winger born in Zaandam, The Netherlands. He’s the son of legendary Dutch forward Patrick Kluivert, who was recently the assistant coach for the Cameroonian National Team. Most of Justin’s career to date has taken place at Ajax, where he graduated to senior sides in 2016. Following major interest from nearly every big club in Europe, a call from <span>Francesco Totti</span> to Patrick Kluivert pushed the younger Kluivert to leave Amsterdam for Rome, costing the Giallorossi approximately €18.75 million.</p>
<p id="aoYTb4">In his first season in Rome, Kluivert scored two goals and assisted six in 35 appearances, but half of these appearances only came through late-game substitutions.</p>
<h2 id="S2wAPK">What Can He Do?</h2>
<div id="Tn9hz3"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y54Lpe-h5zs?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="O0U0PB">Kluivert is primarily a left winger, but has the ability to play on the right as well. He’s one in a long line of pacy wingers that have called the Stadio Olimpico home in the past decade, following in the footsteps of Gervinho, Mohamed Salah, and current teammate Cengiz Ünder. Yet pace isn’t his only positive attribute; Kluivert also has strong passing and dribbling skills, and can give defenders headaches not just by doing a Roadrunner impression, but by outsmarting even tightly-wound defensive systems.</p>
<p id="8I9pzR">Although Kluivert’s knack for goalscoring hasn’t shown up yet in a Roma kit, it’s important to note that his time at Ajax suggested that he could grow into a goalscoring machine if given the opportunity. No matter what you have to say about the relative quality of the Dutch league, scoring in double-digits in any top-flight league at the age of eighteen is impressive stuff. Add in the fact that one of the highlights of Kluivert’s performances with the Giallorossi to date is his willingness to track back, and he seems ready to be a regular starter for Roma - and this is only at age twenty.</p>
<h2 id="yv1Prp">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="vzeam8">With the departure of Stephan El Shaarawy for China, it’s clearly Kluivert’s moment to dictate his own future, both in Rome and for his own career. Nobody’s expecting him to become Prime Patrick Kluivert at age 20, but you have to hope that Paulo Fonseca can unlock some of the talent that is obviously inside the Dutchman. If Fonseca can do that, don’t be surprised to see Kluivert casually stride to the top of next year’s Youth Rankings.</p>
<p id="Cl20hd">The comparison I made at the top of this article to Eden Hazard isn’t made lightly; Kluivert has all of the characteristics necessary to become an all-around superstar winger, perfectly in the mold of the superstar attacker <em>du jour</em> that super-clubs the world over crave. Does this mean that he’ll probably leave Roma if he reaches his potential? Yes, but he’s never been shy about saying that he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps to Barcelona. If Roma can get a couple star-level seasons out of him before he makes a mega-money move, the original €18.75 million investment Monchi made in Kluivert may look just as good as adding Nicolo Zaniolo into the <span>Radja Nainggolan</span> deal.</p>
<p id="Y8uGYJ"></p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/8/20758483/ranking-romas-youth-5-justin-kluivertJimmy Miotto2019-08-07T16:00:00+02:002019-08-07T16:00:00+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #6: Gianluca Mancini
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<img alt="AC Perugia v AS Roma - Pre-Season Friendly" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OMxLcXg65fTx6QJFXO6CcTRRzgM=/0x0:1650x1100/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64929064/1158915434.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Italian arrives in the capital after his breakout season in Bergamo. </p> <p id="oCpJpB">We’re all well aware of the defensive struggles that Roma had last season. With that in mind, this off-season was always going to be about reinforcing the backline. While we’ve heard plenty of names linked to Roma, the first man brought in was ultimately one that was originally linked to the Giallorossi back during the January <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/transfer-rumors">transfer window</a>. Despite Monchi not being able strike a deal then, his successor, Gianluca Petrachi, was able to do what the Spaniard wasn’t: land one of Italy’s up and coming defensive talents.</p>
<h2 id="aizy0Q">Number Six: Gianluca Mancini</h2>
<p id="3Ii9S0"><strong>Age</strong>: 23</p>
<p id="S9G2Jh"><strong>Position</strong>: Defender</p>
<p id="xggSA5"><strong>Previous Club</strong>: <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/atalanta">Atalanta</a></p>
<p id="q6LMNK"><strong>Rank Last Year</strong>: N/A</p>
<p id="hLhWTZ"><strong>Future Comparison</strong>: <span>Leonardo Bonucci</span></p>
<h2 id="DSHaqM">Who Is He?</h2>
<p id="C6BCJO">Mancini, no relation to Italy CT Roberto, a 23-year-old Italian, hails from Tuscany. He came through the <a href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> youth ranks before beginning his senior career in 2015 with Serie B side Perugia. He was purchased in January 2017 by Atalanta but remained at Perugia on loan before finally donning the Nerazzurro of Atalanta for the 2017-2018 season. Mancini broke out last season in Bergamo, making 35 appearances and scoring six goals in all competitions.</p>
<p id="JRyDyT">His strong 2018-19 campaign was enough to convince Petrarchi to bring him to Roma this summer on a €2 million loan with an obligation to buy for €13 million plus another potential €8 million in bonuses. Mancini is also a member of Italy’s senior national team and was a starter for the U21 at this summer’s European Championships. </p>
<h2 id="VT7Wtp">What Can He Do?</h2>
<div id="cVFQxe"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CXVCWQ_9l-0?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="3ZSNZA">Standing at 6’4”, Mancini is a big, physical defender. However, don’t let his big frame make you think he’s no more than a lumbering liability. Mancini has decent pace and plenty of other assets to his game. He is a true modern day defender. With his big frame Mancini is able to win the physical battles and aerial duels with strikers. Yet, he is also a fearless passer who is able to open up play from the back. Plus, his prowess in the air makes him a constant threat on set pieces. Lastly, Mancini is fearless in his defending, not backing down from any opponents. </p>
<p id="RMbFuC">For a deeper read on the Italian, <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/7/21/20702134/mancini-margin-call-roma">check out dallagente’s piece</a> which is packed full of stats and more about Mancini’s game. </p>
<h2 id="lYXD8a">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="eyFCHh">Mancini looks to have the tools to be a fairly stout defender for years to come. He grew up idolizing Marco Materazzi (hence #23) and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind emulating his career. When I look at Mancini, the first player that comes to mind is Juve’s Leonardo Bonucci. With the proper coaching and development then that could be his ceiling. At minimum, he should be a solid starting caliber center-back. </p>
<p id="j5EcE0">Like with any young defender, once he matures, he should begin to read the game better and choose when to use his physicality to limit giving up needless fouls; something that will improve with better positioning as well. That will help solidify his all around game. He is already part of the National Team mix and should remain part of the defensive rotation for the Azzurri, as well. </p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/7/20750099/ranking-romas-youth-6-gianluca-mancinissciavillo2019-08-06T14:43:58+02:002019-08-06T14:43:58+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #7: Mirko Antonucci
<figure>
<img alt="AS Roma v UC Sampdoria - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NyNbeoXkxa4f2jDETf8IVb1nDyg=/0x0:2376x1584/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64920288/911486660.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mirko Antonucci will save us all.</p> <p id="Z0VwDn">“Good! You see what you get when you don’t pass it?” were the reported words of <span>Alessandro Florenzi</span> as Roma’s captain shouted across the Trigoria pitch (according to <a href="https://www.ilromanista.eu/news/as-roma/18629/antonucci-segna-cinque-gol-nelle-amichevoli-per-non-andare-di-nuovo-in-prestito"><em>Il Romanista</em></a>). Mirko Antonucci was the recipient of Florenzi’s tough love, as Antonucci lay in a crumpled heap after being pole-axed to the turf by a Gubbio defender. </p>
<p id="DJ4fqC">The Roman youth was on a hat-trick at the time, though Antonucci had just kicked a ball well out of the grounds, in frustration at himself for missing a one-on-one chance on goal minutes earlier. That’s something you rarely see in a pre-season training kickabout, if ever. But that’s Antonucci’s determination to get noticed this summer. </p>
<h2 id="wz5EQN">Number Seven: Mirko Antonucci</h2>
<p id="OHFzWt"><strong>Age:</strong> 20<br><strong>Position:</strong> Attacking Midfielder<br><strong>Current Club:</strong> Roma<br><strong>Future Comparison:</strong> Angel Di Maria</p>
<h2 id="FFzf1J">Who Is He?</h2>
<div id="35XlAM"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ucr4Dbi_GUc?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="YDQ8TH">By now, Mirko Antonucci is that talent who nobody rates too highly and yet no one is willing to write off either. He’s been in that awkward space for a while and an ambiguous loan spell at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/pescara">Pescara</a> last season didn’t help to change the course of his career in one way or another. In what’s becoming typical Antonucci style, he won a ton of admiring words in Pescara’s local press while he’d also fail to make an impression on the people that count: club, staff, teammates. The lot. </p>
<p id="bjX0Ax">It doesn’t help that it’s hard to understand much of what he says. Antonucci has a surprisingly baritone voice for such a flaco-like figure, and he’ll likely be one of those players who lets his uninhibited side show on the pitch rather than conquering any front pages off of it. That suits most fans just fine. Paul Scholes was the same, and no one’s knocking Scholes for the playing career he put together. </p>
<p id="Sarm5b">Antonucci’s greatest achievement to date was winning a Primavera league and couple double under Alberto De Rossi in 2016. And those days are over.</p>
<h2 id="hBa7Tp">What Can He Do?</h2>
<p id="YJ3ZLb">Just about the only thing Antonucci can’t do is claim a god-given right to win headers or shoulder-barges. But for everything else, he’s there. </p>
<p id="5A7Do2">He sometimes played as a forward running off the shoulder of the last defender on the Pescara coast, and showed good enough movement to get himself through on goal frequently (though he drew a big fat blank in terms of goals). Other games were played on either right and left wing for the <em>Delfini</em>.</p>
<p id="Nfy1PN">For Roma, he’s played as an inside forward on the left and come up with an assist on his senior debut. Antonucci would have also had scored a goal in that very same <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn5OKp6xTmg&feature=onebox">debut game away to Sampdoria</a>, had it not been for Edin Dzeko’s interference. And now we’ve finally seen him play in the hole for Roma this summer. </p>
<h2 id="qE8qUL">What Can He Become?</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A.S. Roma v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ujEcDkkSPyxZuzFhiF-E83zo6Ss=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/18634368/953926658.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="RtutuG">Having to make do with “just” a brace on that day against Gubbio, Mirko would finish this Trigoria round of pre-season friendlies as the summer’s joint top scorer on 5 goals (along with Patrik Schick and Cengiz Under) as he heard the warning words of Florenzi ringing in his ear: Dial it back a bit with trying to get noticed by Fonseca and keep finding your role within the team.</p>
<p id="wYBTFZ">That was Florenzi’s mentoring view on it. But if you ask me? Antonucci’s gone a good job at both individual and team play.</p>
<p id="WDyTP5">Outside of the imperious Javier Pastore, Mirko Antonucci has been the attacking midfielder to drag defenders out of their position with him and link up Roma’s midfield with the frontline. He can do 1-2 passes in tight spaces, dribble past his man, and he’s shown he doesn’t hesistate to pull the trigger inside the box. It helps that Antonucci is two-footed and can interchange all over the frontline. What more could Paulo Fonseca ask for?</p>
<p id="fYULmV">We won’t pretend Antonucci could walk into the starting lineup of any tactical setup in world football. But in <em>this</em> Roma side under <em>this </em>coach, Mirko Antonucci has shown himself tailor-made to be one of the three <em>trequartisti</em> unlocking games for the <em>Giallorossi</em>. </p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/6/20752622/ranking-romas-youth-7-mirko-antonuccidallagente2019-08-03T21:00:00+02:002019-08-03T21:00:00+02:00Ranking Roma’s Youth, #8: Alessio Riccardi
<figure>
<img alt="AS Roma - FC Real Madrid: UEFA Youth League Group G" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GbHKBNuYdZHyitO1hYWpPZCM0Y4=/0x0:1755x1170/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64906912/1065884940.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Primavera starlet moves into our top 10 and should play senior team football (somewhere) this season.</p> <h2 id="aizy0Q">Number Eight: Alessio Riccardi</h2>
<p id="3Ii9S0"><strong>Age</strong>: 18</p>
<p id="S9G2Jh"><strong>Position</strong>: Midfielder</p>
<p id="QoTQik"><strong>Current Club</strong>: <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/">AS Roma</a> with a loan deal likely </p>
<p id="hLhWTZ"><strong>Future Comparison: </strong>Isco</p>
<h2 id="5tQbv6">Who is He?</h2>
<p id="b28uzv">The crown jewel of the Roma youth set up and the next in line in the Roman tradition at the club, Riccardi has been with the club since he was just 8 years old. He made his senior side debut in the Coppa Italia last season at just 17. Riccardi starred for Roma in the UEFA Youth League scoring five times in seven matches and even <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/4/26/18518300/riccardi-receives-call-up-to-azzurri-training-camp">received a call up to one</a> of Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri side training camps last April. Riccardi has also featured for the Azzurri at the U15, U16, U17, and U19 levels. </p>
<h2 id="L7fvTz">What Can He Do?</h2>
<p id="d9R40B">To put it simply: A lot. Riccardi is about as versatile a midfielder as you can find. The young Roman featured around the pitch for Alberto De Rossi’s side; most often playing in a central midfield role. However, he’s also seen time at the mediano, trequartista, and wide positions. </p>
<p id="DfzgZN">Riccardi seems to posses the full skill set to go along with that positional versatility. That skill set was summed up nicely by <a href="http://www.worldfootballscouting.com/schede-giovani-talenti/alessio-riccardi-2001-italia/">one scouting report </a>on Riccardi:</p>
<blockquote><p id="cnfX3L">Elegant, very technically gifted, fast, skilled in dribbling and in possession with a remarkable acceleration with the ball at his feet, Riccardi has a great shot from distance; an important “arrow” in his wide quiver, which he uses very often during the game.</p></blockquote>
<p id="sAGUz1">Those traits can be seen in his double scored against Juve’s Primavera side last season, especially on the second goal where his dribbling and pace tore the Bianconeri to shreds. Meanwhile, his shooting ability can be seen in the second video, again against Juve’s Primavera. </p>
<div id="CE8aor"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HaQNZ6ovGPs?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="Pk6dIu">The scouting report continues by praising Riccardi’s vision and ability to defend the ball when in possession. On the defensive side of the ball, Riccardi will work hard for his side. He has also been praised for his team spirit and leadership ability, even captaining Italy’s U17 finalist side during last summer’s European Championships. </p>
<div id="VuiT8B"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qSWDP2V24AU?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<h2 id="WltPVt">What Can He Become?</h2>
<p id="A32KgX">The ceiling looks to be high for Riccardi. If all goes according to plan then Riccardi should become one of Roma’s cornerstone players in the next couple years. Riccardi grew up idolizing Totti and although he’s not on Il Capitano’s talent level, there are some parallels to his game. Roma will look for him to fill that same #10 role in the not so distant future. </p>
<p id="GbedZe">At minimum, Riccardi looks to be an above average player, however, with the right tutelage, Riccardi looks to have star potential. Best case scenario, he and Pellegrini will become the faces of a new Roman generation.</p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2019/8/3/20747089/ranking-romas-youth-8-alessio-riccardissciavillo