Serie A has often been viewed as a league for old players. The likes of Paolo Maldini, Francesco Totti and Gianluigi Buffon have all produced wonderful seasons in the Italian top flight at the twilight of their careers.
Yet there appears to be a change, young players are bursting onto the scene and redefining the competition’s demographic. There has been some exceptional young talent in Serie A this season. This top five of the best, will regrettably exclude some fantastic young stars of the Italian game, such as Domenico Berardi, Mateo Kovacic and Alvaro Morata, but five included have been superb all season and show that Serie A is producing some of the best young talent in the world.
5. Mattia Perin (22, Genoa)
The Italian shot stopper has had yet another superb season in the Genoa goal. Perin has been ever present in between the posts during the last two seasons, missing only seven Serie A games in that time and averaging a save every 25 minutes. It is his saving ability which has attracted many of Perin’s plaudits. The young Italian has incredible reflexes and with his command of the box and distribution improving, Perin is set to become one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. His fine displays in goal helped Genoa finish sixth in Serie A this season with 59 points.
Perin also made a breakthrough with the Italian national team this campaign, receiving his first Italy cap when he was played the last 17 minutes of a friendly against Albania at his club ground the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. His good form attracted the interest of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, reportedly including Liverpool and Inter, but Perin signed a contract extension this week with Genoa until 2019. One for the future, Perin could well be the long-term replacement to Buffon in the Italian goal.
4. Mauro Icardi (22, Inter Milan)
The Inter forward had often been accused of not preforming on the pitch while letting his personal life distract him. But the 2014-2015 season was the time when Icardi came to the fore.
The Argentinian striker came through the Barcelona youth system, La Masia. He moved, however, first to Sampdoria and then onto Inter. In his first season in Milan, Icardi was hit and miss, scoring just nine goals in 22 appearances. But this time around he has been outstanding. He scored 22 goals and produced six assists over 33 appearances in Serie A. His strike record earned him Serie A’s top scorer award, the Capocannoniere, sharing the honour with Verona’s Luca Toni. Even though Inter failed to qualify for Europe for the first time in 16 years, Icardi certainly had a successful season in Milan. It seems certain that he will add to his one cap for Argentina the near future. Icardi signed a contract extension at the end of the season, ending rumors that he could leave the San Siro for the Premier League. The young Argentine could well be the player who helps Inter back to the glory days.
3. Felipe Anderson (22, Lazio)
Not many people knew about Felipe Anderson before the 2014-2015 season. Now he is emerging as one of the best young stars in the European game.
Having played at Brazilian side Santos for six years, Anderson made the common move for young Brazilian players and headed to Europe. Lazio snapped up the young midfielder for $11 million. In his first season in Rome, Anderson rarely featured. Even at the start of this campaign he failed to secured a place in Lazio’s first XI. But now he is their key player. He only started 23 games in Serie A, but managed a very impressive 10 goals and seven assists during that time. He has played across midfield and as part of Lazio’s front three this season and has look comfortable wherever he has started. Anderson is now attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world and is on standby for Brazil’s Copa America campaign. The Lazio star could become one of the very best in the world.
2. Paulo Dybala (21, Palermo)
The Argentinian forward has enjoyed a dream campaign. He helped Palermo consolidate their Serie A status after promotion last season, and produced some magical performances along the way. To top it off, he has recently agreed a deal to sign for Italian champions Juventus.
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Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini proclaimed Dybala as the new Sergio Augero when the Sicilian side bought the Argentinian in 2012. His first two seasons did not quite live up to the billing, but he certainly is now. In the 2014-2015 season, Dybala scored 13 goals and produced 10 assists, ensuring he was joint best assist provider in Serie A. He was also one of only three players in Serie A this season who got double digits in both goals and assists. With a $46.5 move to Juve, Dybala is set to shine on the biggest stage next season and is surely not far away from fulfilling his dream of playing for Argentina.
1. Paul Pogba (22, Juventus)
The young Frenchman is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the world. Yet he is only 22-years-old. The former Manchester United player could achieve anything and everything in football.
He broke into the Juventus’ team after an injury to Claudio Marchisio in 2013 and Pogba has not looked back since. The combative and energetic style, along with an eye for goal means Pogba is the all round midfielder. He has helped Juventus on all three fronts as they go in such a historic treble. This season Pogba has taken more reasonability during games, as shown by his increasing passes per 90 minutes, which are going up year-after-year at the Bianconeri. Rumours about a move away from Turin seem false, as Pogba is happy at Juventus, the club that believed in him when many did not. Pogba seems set to light up both Italian and World football for years to come.
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