Youth Prospects update from the tropics…
With our ‘sunset’ trip to Angkor Wat seeming suddenly like a bad idea, given the deluge which has just erupted from the clouds above, and the deafening thunder sending shivers through the nervous systems of all those of a superstitious leaning, it seems a great time to pull out this haggard netbook and thread together the latest rumours and confirmed departures and arrivals of our youth prospects…
Zaza…Our new Co-Owned frontman.
Simone Zaza, scorer of an impressive 18 goals in Serie B last term for Ascoli (on loan from Sampdoria) has been snapped up by that dream team of Beppe and Paratici. In exchange for the full registration of the young striker and 2m, we first purchased Atalanta’s 50% of Gabbiadini for 5.5m then promptly gave 50% of the forward to Samp, where he will likely play in the forthcoming stagione.
Nicola Leali, never short of admirers, is allegedly close to Spezia, who are aiming for promotion from Serie B. Whilst it would be great to see him in Serie A, the most important thing to consider is regular playing time. Lanciano to Spezia IS a move up in terms of quality. Speaking of Lanciano, our primavera coach Baroni has moved there as head coach, leaving the post open to be filled by Andrea Zanchetta…
With Baroni heading out to try his hand at the head coach role of senior side juve have moved swiftly to bring in a new boss for our talented crop of primavera players. Andrea Zanchetta arrives fresh from achieving excellent results last term with cremonese’s allievi nazionale (u16) squad.
As a player zanchetta spent most of his career as a midfielder for chievo with stints at lecce, inter, vicenza, foggia and cremonese.
with the major investments poured into the youth sector and relative success of recent years lets hope that zanchetta can continue the good work began by baroni and build a team capable of bettering last season’s solid outing in the next-gen series, 1st place finish in the league(but dumped out of the finals), poor viareggio effort and wonderful victory in the coppa.
Benvenuto Andrea.
Pessotto flanked by new primavera boss Andrea Zanchetta and his assistant Fabio Grosso.
Assisting Zanchetta will be none other than world cup winner and former Juve squad member Fabio Grosso, who fresh from gaining his coaching badges rejoins the club to work with the youth sector as Vice-Manager.
“In addition to a pleasure it is an honor that a company like Juve has called me to give me the ‘ opportunity to move ahead with this new job. I’m full of passion, I really want to do well, I intend to be able to pass it on to kids. Our goal as a staff is to get the most out of them to grow future champions for the first team ” .- Grosso
18 year old attacking midfielder Michele Cavion has moved to Reggiana on loan for the season…He played regularly for Vicenza’s youth team up until the new year when he moved to Juve. Then played 6 games for us before the summer break.
Can the big fella make the jump up to senior level???? (stefano Padovan)
Also…High scoring prima punta Stefano Padovan, who smashed in 16 goals in 16 games in the primavera league last season, has signed for serie B club Pescara. Its a shame that Zeman isn’t still there eh!
Wide midfielder Guiseppe Ruggiero (15 appearances in primavera league 12/13) has moved to Pro Vercelli in a co-ownership deal as has left back Nazzareno Belfasti (regular for Modena’s primavera last term)…
In a move which will surprise nobody, highly thought of centre back, Albert Masi has officially been loaned to Ternana for next season, with the option to co-own. (I wouldn’t worry about that option in any way whatsoever, for Ternana will never be in a position to hold us to ransom and will want to continue the flow of quality youth heading their way for free/ a pittance). Its a sensible move for Albert who did brilliantly in the Ternana rearguard after moving there in January last season.
La Penna Bianca…
Fabrizio Ravanelli, former player and coach now managing Ajaccio
Our old buddies recently installed at league one french club Ajaccio may well be pursuing several of our promising youngsters for their new adventure in the top flight of what the gallic folk call la foot…
Ravanelli, former juve star striker and Ventrone (ex-marine super trainer) have their eyes on Fausto Rossi, Gabriel Appelt, De Silvestro and also Spinazzola, Liviero and Giandonato (scorer of that beauty v Man United in the testimonial a year or so back).
The link-up should see a strong relationship built up…a greatly diluted version of Watford/ Udinese.
Before heading outside of this siem reap hotel room, and diving into the strangely warm water of the pool, I will briefly mention that Crotone are very much after Beltrame (as well as Liviero) with the young and hungry striker instead more likely to head to Virtus Lanciano…(the second striker’s other suitors include Brescia, Modena and Juve Stabia. Truly a man in demand.)
Serie B newcomers Trapani (whose president Daniele Faggiano is a close mate of Conte and attended his recent wedding) were rumoured to be interested in our swiss fullback Untersee and iceman CB Magnusson. After signing the senegalese Mbaye Diagny from Serie D club AS BRA, there is a chance we will send him on loan to Trapani…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMETRZaJzv4
…Branescu, star goalkeeper of our primavera for the last two seasons has moved on loan for the season to serie B Juve Stabia. Heralded for a while now as a solid prospect, now is the time to prove himself amongst the big boys.
Of some annoyance, Dinamo Kiev are suggested as harbouring covetous designs upon none other than Freddy ‘Kruger’ Sorensen. The co-owned CB had a decent campaign with Bologna and whilst the co-ownership deal has been renewed, if there is any truth to the ukranian advance, it would surely mean an outright sale. I hope its untrue, for I have been a fan of Freddy since his debut for the club two years ago and maintained firm hopes of seeing him return to our back-line. Of the many young defenders I have seen in recent years, he has stood out as possessing brilliant natural talent as a stopper, a true diamond in the rough.
More positive news comes from Carpi, who recently made the jump from Lega Pro to Serie B and have set their sights upon Juve owned left back, 20 year old Matteo Liviero (mentioned elsewhere), who made 20 appearances for Perugia in the in their ill-fated 12/13 campaign which culminated in a promotion play-off loss to Pisa. Matteo obviously impressed in his spell with Perugia, as demonstrated by his three outings for Di Biagio’s Italy U20s in 2013. Definitely one to watch for the future.
The rain has now stopped, the sunshine has returned and I fancy a dip in the pool, or a waltz around the cambodian streets, maybe ending up at the aptly named Pub Street for a tiger beer or five.
forza juve.
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