Roberto Mancini insists Italy has ‘four or five talents with the quality of Jude Bellingham, but they need to be given playing time’ and he hopes Gianluca Scamacca can develop at West Ham United.
The Azzurri boss spoke at a press conference to launch the new Adidas kits and was asked about the relative lack of young players coming through for the Nazionale.
“The problem is not having talent, but letting them develop. We are seeking them everywhere, including in the youth teams,” assured Mancini.
He was given the example of Italy’s next opponents England, who have Bellingham making his mark at the World Cup at the age of 19 and currently shining for Borussia Dortmund.
“I think Italy have four or five talents with the quality of Bellingham, but they need to be given playing time. We have young players with the quality, but they lack the experience.
“In England, Holland or Germany, if a player is talented, then he will be allowed to play. Here we’ve got four or five at this level, but they need to play.”
Some of Italy’s younger elements have gone abroad to help broaden their horizons and Mancini hopes it will help resolve the issue of finding a centre-forward to lead the line, an absence that proved costly in World Cup qualifying.
“At this moment in time, Italy doesn’t have many great strikers, but we are trying to find them. Scamacca for example is having a good experience, as the Premier League is difficult.”
Scamacca has so far scored seven goals in 24 competitive appearances for West Ham United since the €36m plus bonuses transfer from Sassuolo over the summer.