Ranking Juventus' 10 Brightest Youth Prospects

Recent seasons have seen Juventus invest heavily in their youth sector, drafting in players from around the world to play in their Primavera (under-19) side. Coached by former Italy international Fabio Grosso, that team has found form this season to perform well in both the league and the Viareggio tournament.

Grosso clearly has some genuine talent at his disposal, steering them to victory over Bologna in the quarter-finals of that latter competition and into the last four. They will take on Spezia on Monday, but the retired defender—appointed to his current role in March 2014—believes there is much more to come from his players.

“Our attitude for long spells of the game was spot on, but we know we can do better,” Grosso said after their most recent win, per the club’s official website. It was a match that highlighted a number of key performers in the Juventus youth sector, and what follows is a closer look at some of those names.

Listed in order of potential, the next pages turn the spotlight onto the 10 brightest prospects currently owned by the Bianconeri, focussing on their recent performances and what they might bring in the future.

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10. Nicolo Pozzebon

Often overshadowed by some of Juve’s other attacking talent, Nicolo Pozzebon will perhaps never play for Juventus, but he has shown he might make an impact elsewhere. Netting 11 times in 15 Primavera championship appearances, the 18-year-old is a good finisher but is unlikely to remain in Turin for long.

9. Andrea Favilli

It says much for the ability of those above him here that Andrea Favilli has already made his first-team debut for Juventus, drafted in after a string of injuries left coach Massimiliano Allegri with a lack of options in attack.

The striker has bagged 11 goals and five assists in his 16 championship appearances for the Primavera this term and was brought on by Allegri as a late substitute in the match against Frosinone back in February.

8. Pol Lirola

A strong prospect at right-back, Pol Lirola arrived at Juventus from Espanyol and has established himself as a regular in Fabio Grosso’s side. Making 17 league appearances, the 18-year-old has weighed in with two goals and four assists while also showcasing a superb defensive attitude and ability to read the game.

Lirola told Juve’s in-house television station JTV (h/t La Gazzetta dello Sport, link in Italian) that he sees Stephan Lichtsteiner as a role model and hopes to one day reach the standard set by the Switzerland international.

7. Filippo Romagna

Able to play as a central defender or in midfield, the diligent awareness and tactical intelligence of Filippo Romagna shine brightly every time he goes out on the pitch. Often entrusted with the captain's armband, the 18-year-old may be a few years away from the first-team but could be an important player in the future.

6. Luca Clemenza

Currently out with a torn ligament, 2015/16 has seen some impressive performances from the versatile Luca Clemenza. Able to play anywhere in attack and even fill in as a midfielder if necessary, the 18-year-old has contributed 14 goals and three assists in all competitions this term.

He will be eager to get back into action once he has recovered from his current injury, but he has done enough to be seen as a player to watch in the coming years.

5. Emil Audero

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Already a regular name in the Juventus first-team squad, Emil Audero is now clearly the club’s fourth-choice goalkeeper, ready to deputise whenever injury or illness befalls one of Allegri’s senior players.

Indeed, the 19-year-old has often travelled with the full side, named to the substitute’s bench on no fewer than 12 occasions and—in a 2014 interview with the club’s official website—spoke of the impact that has on his progression:

"

It’s great training with them, you learn and understand a lot of things you can’t pick up from the TV: from how they train to their sheer technique. When it’s with your team-mate from the Primavera, sometimes you just pass over it, whereas if you see the first team shot-stoppers carry it out, for example their footwork, ways of attacking the ball and how to dive when making a save, you pay a little more attention to it. Buffon has always been my idol, ever since I put my gloves on for the first time: maybe behind all the things that come naturally to me, there’s also a bit of copying going on!

"

4. Guido Vadala

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Arriving as part of the deal that saw Carlos Tevez return to Boca Juniors, Juventus will have an important decision to make this year regarding Guido Vadala. According to a press release on the club's official website, they will pay €3.5 million to loan the Argentina-native until December 2017 but can invest a further €9.4 million to make that move permanent.

Featuring either as a winger or support striker in his 25 appearances for the Bianconeri, Vadala has so far weighed in with four goals and six assists, but he will need to continue in that vein if the Turin giants are to retain him at such a steep price.

3. Rolando Mandragora

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Moving to Genoa’s youth sector ahead of the 2011/12 season, it was last season that saw Rolando Mandragora make a breakthrough, managing five Serie A appearances for the Grifone before a subsequent move to Pescara.

His form there saw Juventus pounce, the club’s official website revealing they paid an initial fee of €6 million to Genoa, which could increase by a further €6 million should certain sporting targets be achieved.

Mandragora signed a five-year contract with the Bianconeri but remained with Pescara, where he usually features just in front of the defence. His future in Turin was discussed during this previous post, with his technique and creativity marking the 18-year-old as a talent to monitor closely in the coming years.

2. Mattia Vitale

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While Juve’s attacking talent often dominates the headlines, Mattia Vitale has quietly established himself as a major prospect for the Bianconeri. The 18-year-old midfielder has made two first-team appearances and seemingly won the confidence of Allegri last season, who had some encouraging words for the left-footed youngster last June.

“He is a very interesting player,” the coach told the official UEFA website. “He can play as a box-to-box midfielder or just ahead of the defence. He will grow by training and playing with the first team.”

However, Vitale was sent on loan to Virtus Lanciano in January, and the Bologna-native has already made 11 Serie B appearances. He will return to Juventus in the summer and will need to prove himself worthy of a place in the squad, or he can expect to spend another 12 months on loan—perhaps this time in the top-flight—to gain valuable experience.

1. Moise Kean

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There is little doubt that Moise Kean remains Juve’s biggest youth prospect, the 16-year-old having already made a major impact for both the Bianconeri and Italy youth sides over recent months.

Standing 6' (1.82 m) tall and predominantly right-footed, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport (link in Italian) back in January that his biggest strengths are his pace, aerial ability and his accurate shooting.

Those attributes are obvious to anyone who has seen the forward—who also has Ivorian heritage—take to the field. Juventus have not been afraid to send him into action against much older players, rewarded by seeing Kean net 19 times in 19 appearances for their under-17s.

He also found the net in his one Primavera (U19) Cup outing, while his performances for the Azzurri began with two goals in six games for the U15s. Kean followed that up with three in his four U16 appearances, and he has already bagged another four in six matches for the U17s.

Those displays have seen him begin to attract attention across the continent, employing Mino Raiola to act as his agent and reportedly drawing the interest of Manchester United, according to Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star, and Manchester City (per the Daily Mail, h/t Turrell).

Juventus will hope he can thrive in their famous black and white stripes, with his talent making him perhaps the one attacking player most likely to make the leap to the first-team squad on a regular basis.