With so many stars leaving Serie A in recent seasons, one of the more successful and sustainable ways to build a strong team is through young talent.
The country’s best teams have adapted this method, buying top youth talents from fellow domestic teams. Reigning domestic champs Juventus have perfected this strategy, buying players like defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Danielle Rugani, as well as midfielder Stefano Sturaro.
Fellow Italian heavyweights AC Milan have also gone this route with as of late with defender Alessio Romagnoli and midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura arriving in the past few seasons.
As such, it isn’t surprising that the in addition to Fiorentina and Palermo, the teams are reportedly interested in Bari midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli.
All four clubs have been linked with the player, with TuttoMercatoWeb recently reporting interest from the Rossoneri.
Given the fact that Juve and Fiorentina are both in the top four and both feature successful, veteran midfields, the teenager may find it easier to eventually break in at Palermo or Milan. Though that’s purely speculation.
Young midfielders
In terms of midfield depth, all four teams could use extra youth for the future. Juventus have young building blocks in Paul Pogba, Mario Lemina and Sturaro, but feature a number of aging veterans. Sami Khedira is 29-years-old while Claudio Marchisio and Hernanes are 30-years-old.
Milan employs fellow 19-year-old midfielder Jose Mauri, as well as the 25-year-old Andrea Bertolacci, but the Rossoneri could use an injection of youth in the middle of the park
Meanwhile, at Fiorentina, the heavily-used duo of Mathias Fernandez and Borja Valero are 29 and 30 respectively.
Rounding out the list is Palermo, a team that deploys a much younger midfield group with four different players under the age of 24.
Potential loan move
If Castrovilli is bought, but unable to crack the first team, he would likely be loaned out. A loan to another Serie B side or a top flight team towards the bottom of the table.