Picking an Under-21 Serie A Best XI

Serie A has fallen behind La Liga, Premier League and Bundesliga in the view of most European football fans over the past couple of years, as the financial state of most clubs on the Peninsula has prevented them from competing in Europe, as well as being able to attract the best players around in the transfer market.

Italian clubs have had to rely on other methods to be successful and that has involved developing young talent through the primavera and recruiting younger, cheaper players.

It is a wonderful league to develop young players, who learn skills that will translate to any other league in Europe.

By assembling the best XI of under-21 players, I aim to shed light on the next generation of great players that Italy has at its disposal and hopefully persuade some of you to take some time to watch these prodigious talents fulfil their potential.

The only rule is to include players who are 21 years old, or younger, when the 2012/13 season started.

Let me know your suggestions in the comments section below.

Goalkeeper: Mattia Perin, Pescara (on Loan from Genoa), 20

Mattia Perin is the most outstanding young goalkeeper in Serie A.

The 20-year-old is a phenomenal shot stopper and has already been touted to play for Milan or Juventus one day.

It has been a tough season for the Italy under-21 international, keeping in front of an appalling defence that has conceded 58 goals—the worst record in the league.

While Perin has not been faultless—often struggling to command his area at crosses—it has not been the ideal scenario to develop his skills.

Next season will be better, providing that Davide Ballardini is given some time by Enrico Preziosi, as Perin will be given the opportunity to start, meaning that Sebastian Frey will likely move on from the Grifone.

The heir to Gianluigi Buffon.

Centre-Back: Marquinhos, Roma, 18

The find of the season in Serie A is Marquinhos.

Goodness knows where Roma would be without him—the Giallorossi have the second worst defensive record in Serie A, conceding 49 goals in 29 games.

The Brazilian has been outstanding—a pure athlete who recovers magnificently, also offering fantastic ability on the ball to build the Giallorossi's play from the back.

Last year, Marquinhos was a Copa Libertadores champion with Corinthians and his form has been so outstanding for Roma that he has garnered interest from Barcelona, if reports from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via football italia) are to be believed.

Centre-Back: Michele Camporese, Fiorentina, 20

A jewel of Fiorentina's who is destined for the very top.

Michele Camporese is just 20 years old and despite currently being ruled out with damage to his patellar ligament, the Viola defender has a massive future.

Comfortable in possession and tactically intelligent, Camporese was one of the reasons that the Viola were happy to cash in on Matija Nastasic.

Camporese has a keen eye for an interception, too, making him a potent threat for the Viola by starting counterattacks.

Centre-Back: Uros Cosic, Pescara, 20

This was a close call, as Pescara also have another young centre-back who is going to have an outstanding future in Italian football, Marco Capuano.

Capuano has a bigger reputation, having played 17 times for the Azzurrini, but Uros Cosic is also involved at the same level for the Serbian national team.

The 20-year-old is on a season-long loan from CSKA Moscow and has quickly proven himself in Serie A.

Pescara's imminent relegation will put his Serie A future at risk, but the Delfini do have an option to buy, so the player might be acquired before being sold to a more established Serie A club.

Right Midfield: Mattia De Sciglio, Milan, 20

Mattia De Sciglio is one of Milan's best players this season, and at just 20 years old, the Rossoneri appear to have the next great full-back.

Tipped to have a future at centre-back by some, due to his ease on the ball and speed across short distances, De Sciglio is actually playing mostly as a right-back or left-back.

Having already put in a number of signature performances for the Rossoneri, De Sciglio is pushing the much more experienced Ignazio Abate and Kevin Constant close for a starting spot.

De Sciglio will soon be featuring for the Italian national team and will eventually become one of Europe's best defenders.

Centre-Midfield: Roberto Pereyra, Udinese, 21

Roberto Pereyra has seamlessly replaced Mauricio Isla, who joined Juventus last summer.

The Argentine had barely played a centre-midfielder before the season started, but Francesco Guidolin has successfully transformed the former River Plate starlet into a terrific mezz'ala.

Capable of dribbling long distances and combining with the wide players due to his tendencies to drift to the wing.

Having started as a winger, Pereyra uses those skills perfectly in Guidolin's counterattacking system, slaloming through defences and dashing beyond the opposition's back line.

Centre-Midfield: Paul Pogba, Juventus, 19

Paul Pogba has instantly adapted to life in Serie A, after a protracted move to Juventus from Manchester United.

The young Frenchman has displayed a wealth of skills—breaking up plays, driving the Bianconeri forward in transition, deadly accuracy from range when shooting and a creative eye when afforded time on the ball.

Pogba has a tough job breaking into the starting lineup of the Bianconeri as they possess the best midfield trio in Europe—Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal.

Pogba will make his debut for France this week and a glittering career will surely develop over the next couple of years.

Left-Midfield: Alvaro Ampuero, Parma, 20

This was a problem position when thinking about a under-21 XI in Serie A as there is not much depth in this area.

But rather than shoe-horn the best young stars in the league into a lopsided, unrealistic XI, I have selected a player who might well be a star within the next year or so, having just started his Serie A career.

Alvaro Ampuero was an ambitious signing from Parma, due to the risk involved and whether it was premature to bring the player over to Europe, as it can often stunt the player's development.

The Peruvian winger came to the attention of most when he starred for Universitario's under-20 side, who claimed the Copa Libertadores two seasons ago.

A versatile left-sided player, Ampuero can fill in all the way up and down the left side of the pitch.

Roberto Donadoni gave the player his debut at the weekend at Roma, so keep an eye out on this player, big things await.

Right Wing: Lorenzo Insigne, Napoli, 21

Lorenzo Insigne has emerged this season with Napoli after the Partenopei sold Ezequiel Lavezzi to PSG.

Having starred for Pescara in Serie B last season, Insigne has pushed Goran Pandev close for a start every game, both looking to partner the prolific Edinson Cavani.

A typical trequartista, Insigne's close control and ability to almost have the ball sticking to his boot as he dribbles make him deadly in wide areas, too.

This is why I accommodate him as a right-winger in my XI, but he would certainly be given license to move fluidly with the other two members of my stellar attacking trio.

Striker: Stephan El Shaarawy, Milan, 20

Stephan El Shaarawy would comfortably be in an all-star Serie A XI, so it is a no-brainer to include Il Faraone in my under-21 XI.

The 20-year-old has been Milan's player of the season and carried the Rossoneri when times were tough, probably salvaging Milan's chances of qualifying for the Champions League with some prolific goalscoring form, competing with Edinson Cavani to be the capocannoniere.

El Shaarawy has thrived as a left-winger, but I will opt to field him as a striker, where he has played for Italy this season, partnering his soon-to-be Milan teammate, Mario Balotelli.

El Shaarawy's close control, change of pace and calmness in front of goal make him one of Serie A's best players.

Left Wing: Erik Lamela, Roma, 21

A candidate to be the Serie A player of the season, finally breaking through and announcing himself to world football as a match winner.

Erik Lamela has been prolific this season, scoring 12 goals in 23 games for the Giallorossi.

With an exceptional ability to dribble past opponents, both on the inside and outside, as well as a keen eye for a defence-splitting pass, Lamela is the complete package.