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Italy holds one of the richest legacies in world football. Over the years, the nation has given some of the most gifted footballers. One associates a hard, defensively solid style of play with Italy, but the Mediterranean country has also produced attacking geniuses and midfield maestros.
The five names on the list are all aged 23 or below. They are yet to enter their peaks completely but already have high market valuations. These footballers are the crown jewels of their respective clubs and have already become influential squad members.
#5 Moise Kean - €32 Million
Of all the players on this list, Kean has had the most mixed run of form. He was a highly rated teenager when he came up the ranks at Juventus. He failed to make big of his potential and was shipped off to Everton. Settling down in a different league in a foreign nation is a hard task. Kean mostly played second fiddle behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin but had a good loan spell at PSG.
Kean is currently back where it started but is in a loan spell. He will be at Juventus until the end of the 2022-23 season, and the future holds for his remains to be seen. The biggest issue with Kean has been his inconsistencies that have greatly hindered his minutes on the pitch.
In his second stint at the Italian club, Kean has mostly been a bench option. His 910 minutes have been spread across 25 appearances, but Kean has done reasonably well. He has scored 4 goals and assisted one, but his potential is much higher than his performances have been till now in his career.
#4 Nicolo Zaniolo - €33M
Nicolo Zaniolo is one of the most highly-rated young footballers coming through the ranks in Italian football. Zaniolo spent his youth in several Italian clubs, including major ones like Inter. He was acquired for a bargain price by Roma in 2018 and has since developed tremendously.
Zaniolo is extremely versatile and can play well centrally or in wide positions. He is extremely adept at passing the fall to find teammates and is no stranger to scoring goals from his own feet.
Zaniolo has made 26 appearances so far in which he started on the right flank. He has scored 4 goals so far, along with 5 assists, but will want to increase both to match his potential.
#3 Sandro Tonali - €35M
The Brescia side in the last part of 2010s may not have achieved much, but it produced some talent for sure. Sandro Tonali became a household name due to his exploits with Brescia. Tonali was part of a weak side on paper, but it didn't hold him back.
At the start of the 2020-21 season, there were several suitors of Tonali from home and abroad. He decided to continue in Serie A with AC Milan and has continued to develop well. His ability to connect passes while being an able tackler has made him a standout among peers of a similar age. There are a lot of similarities between Tonali's growth curve and another Italian icon in the form of Andreas Pirlo.
Tonali has been one of AC Milan's best performers this season as the side pushes on for a potential title challenge. Tonali has carried out his duties with extreme precision, operating mostly as a defensive midfielder. He has even scored 2 goals and assisted 2 others as a bonus.
#2 Alessandro Bastoni - €60M
Alessandro Bastoni was a teenager when Inter Milan decided to spend big and acquire him from Atalanta. Many experts in the nation believe that Bastoni's abilities are unparalleled. Based on his performances until now, it can be claimed that those experts were not wrong.
Inter have a defensive rock in Milan Skriniar but to outdo him at times is no mean feat. At just 22 years old, Bastoni has already become a starter. Bastoni can tackle cleanly and showcase great ball-playing skills, a much-needed requisite of modern football.
Bastoni has been highly consistent in the 27 appearances so far. Inter are the favorites to win Serie A on the back of defensively solid performances. Bastoni has even chipped in the attack as a bonus, with 1 goal and 3 assists.
#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma - €65M
Gianluigi Donnarumma breaks onto the scene as a teenager for AC Milan and has never looked back. He quickly became number one at Milan as the world started taking notice of his performances. He succeeded Gianluigi Buffon to the Italian team and has amazed fans worldwide with his performances.
Donnarumma is extremely composed as a keeper and uses his reach to keep the ball out. He played a major role in Italy's success in the Euros and was even awarded the Yashin trophy in 2021.
Donnarumma joined PSG during the 2021-22 campaign as a free agent. He has mostly played in rotations with Keylor Navas, but at 22, he has age on his side. Donnarumma is expected to quickly become a starter, seeing him add a lot more numbers to the 13 appearances he has had so far.
