After almost a three-month break, players are returning to football stadiums in Italy. On this occasion, the portal Eurofootball.com presents 5 players who are not yet first-class stars, but who are worth paying attention to in the upcoming season.
Rodrigo Ely, AC Milan, defender, 21 years old. AC Milan has been struggling with center-back issues for years, but it seems like significant steps were taken to address these issues this summer.
Of course, everyone is talking about the impressive purchase of Alessio Romagnoli - he should go straight into the starting lineup and become a long-term pillar of Milan's defense.
It is likely that his partner in the center of defense will be the less-known but equally young and talented Brazilian, Rodrigo Ely. This player, who spent last season at "Avellino," performed excellently in preseason, and Milan rewarded him with a new contract, deciding to keep him instead of loaning him out elsewhere - a clear sign that R. Ely features in coach Sinisa Mihajlovic's plans.
"Which team-mate has surprised me the most? Rodrigo Ely. It's not easy to go from Serie B to A, but he is impressing everyone." - AC Milan News
Equally important is the fact that last weekend in the "Coppa Italia" matches, R. Ely was chosen as A. Romagnoli's partner in defense.
Federico Bernardeschi, Fiorentina, forward, 21 years old. How to make a name for yourself in one day? Just ask Federico Bernardeschi - the little-known young forward scored two goals against Barcelona in a friendly match, and his team celebrated victory. That's how the football world got to know F. Bernardeschi.
His role in Fiorentina so far has been small, but this year everything will change - the new number 10 for the "purple" should play an important role.
F. Bernardeschi - a fast, strong forward with a good shot, who can also score goals. Don't be surprised if you see him wearing the Italian national team jersey very soon.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Lazio, midfielder, 20 years old. The first thing that stands out about this Serbian is his impressive physique. S. Milinkovic, at just 20 years old, can win battles in midfield and in the second half, and he also has a knack for scoring goals.
S. Milinkovic is already quite a decorated player - he won the European and World Championships with the Serbian youth national teams, and he won the "Bronze Ball" in the latest tournament as one of the best players.
The 20-year-old Serbian is unlikely to become a key figure for Lazio right away, as there are already solid options in the midfield positions such as Lucas Biglia, Marco Parolo, Senad Lulic, and Danilo Cataldi. However, this player brings a different dimension to Lazio's midfield, so he will be useful this season.
Jeison Murillo, Inter, 23 years old, defender. Inter, like their neighbors Milan, had their fair share of problems in the center-back position.
This problem was addressed by Inter. While most attention was drawn to the transfer of Madrid's Atletico defender Miranda, the acquisition of Colombian Jeison Murillo could turn out to be an even better deal in the long run.
J. Murillo shone in this year's Copa America tournament, where he was named the best young player. The 23-year-old defender is very fast, strong, and despite his average height (1.82m), he has powerful aerial abilities and can play equally well with both feet, which could see him being deployed on both sides of the center-back position.
He may have to wait for his chance in Inter's ranks, as Miranda still provides competition, but regardless, J. Murillo promises to be one of the most interesting Serie A players in the next season.
Daniele Verde, Frosinone, 19 years old, forward. Don't let his appearance deceive you - despite the friendly beard, Daniele Verde is only 19 years old.
The young winger tried to break into the main Roma squad last year, but the competition there was too tough. A loan to a club like Frosinone is just what D. Verde needs.
Despite his modest height of only 1.68m, D. Verde has strong legs and a solid upper body, combined with impressive speed, making it very difficult to take the ball away from this young player. In this regard, he somewhat resembles Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez.
D. Verde is left-footed but feels equally comfortable on both attacking flanks and can cut inside from the wing or run along the line. His finishing touch needs improvement, but at Frosinone, no one will blame him for an inaccurate pass or a poor shot, so this is a great place for him to develop.
