Mattia Viti and Nicolò Rovella are the only two Italian outfield players among the 100 best-performing youngsters in 2021-22, according to CIES.
The Football Observatory has unveiled the best U21 outfield players from 32 European leagues according to a new approach considering ‘players’ performance compared to teammates, the employer team’s sporting level, as well as that of opponents.’
Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka has emerged as the best U21 player in Europe so far this season, followed by Manchester United’s Manchester United and Arminia Bielefeld’s Patrick Wimmer.
Viti and Rovella are the only Italian players featuring in the top 100. Viti has ranked 26th, while Rovella, who is on loan at Genoa from Juventus, sits 47th.
Viti, 20, has made his Serie A debut this term and has already been linked with many top clubs in Italy, including Inter and Milan.
He has played 18 games across all competitions this season and his contract runs out in 2025. Rovella, 20, has 21 appearances with Genoa and is expected to return to Juventus in the summer.
Salernitana defender Radu Dragusin (also on loan from Juventus) is the only other Serie A player among the top 100. The U21 Romania international sits 38th in the standings.
Best performing U2⃣1⃣ players in 3⃣2⃣ European leagues as per brand new @CIES_Football ⚽️ approach 😎 @BukayoSaka87 (@Arsenal & 🏴) at the 🔝 👏 Top 💯 in freshly published Weekly Post 👉 https://t.co/kjtFqolbfe pic.twitter.com/1UX51mBzL0
— CIES Football Obs (@CIES_Football) April 4, 2022
that there is the problem we have, Serie A please wake up. #IGiovaniItalianiSonoPronti
Mason Greenwood was doing so well, he didn’t need to set foot on a field for the last couple months but he is still ahead of Pedri, Gavi, Musiala, Nuno Mendes and Bellingham. What a list.
Saka top? Mason Greenwood, Olise and Nico Williams in the top 10. Only Greenwood played in Europe, and that was only 4 games, yet these players are ahead of Vinicius, Pedri or Gavi? FI are really sucking up to the PL fan boys if they would put out these rankings from what is a clearly PL biased outfit.
Bologna today didn’t have any Italian in the starting 11. That is poor
Dennis you are 100% correct. This is the result of Serie A team’s not playing and developing young italian players …. disgraceful. Wake up!! Time to place strict rules that require all italian teams to have a certain number of Italians on the field. If this continues Italy won’t qualify for a 3rd consecutive WC. Wake up!!!