Is Italian-Argentine Prodigy Jose Mauri a Goldmine for Parma?

As the footballing world reflects back on Lionel Messi making his La Liga debut for Barcelona 10 years ago, Jose Mauri is in the infancy of his professional career. 

Like Barca's then-technical director Charly Rexach intuitively signing 13-year-old Messi via a serviette in 2000, Parma are quietly confident they have unearthed a goldmine in Mauri.

In 2011, 15-year-old Mauri attracted interest from Premier League giants Manchester United, which was in line with their increased scouting presence of Italian clubs. 

• 2011: Signed 16-year-old goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini from Fiorentina.
• 2009: Signed 16-year-old centre-back Michele Fornasier from Fiorentina. 
• 2008: Signed 16-year-old central attacking midfielder Davide Petrucci from Roma.
• 2007: Signed 16-year-old centre-forward Federico Macheda from Lazio.
• 2004: Signed 16-year-old centre-forward Giuseppe Rossi from Parma.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito bemoaned the financial allure of United.

"We tried in every way to stop Manchester United from taking away our player [Macheda] but the present Italian regulations don't give you any type of defence," Lotito said, per Julia White at the Daily Express. "In reality we find ourselves in front of a proper cattle market."

Fiorentina's then-sporting director Pantaleo Corvino likened United's promises to "false illusions of English sirens," per Fiorentina's official website (h/t Sky Sports). 

Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Though, Mauri was unflustered.

He was insistent on becoming a professional footballer without the glitz and glamour of wearing a United shirt. 

Having left his family, his friends and the safety net of Realico, Argentina, to play for Parma, Mauri was determined to make a name for himself in Italy.

Mauri's application, resoluteness and professionalism at such a young age is comparable to Messi, per Guillem Balague's book Messi:

"

[Jorge Messi; Lionel's father] has always admitted that if Leo is playing for Barcelona today it is for two reasons:

1. The insistence of Charly.
2. And because Leo and him [Jorge] preferred to stay in Barcelona when his elder daughter [Maria Sol] had to go back to Argentina as she was unable to adapt. 

"

Mauri could have easily packed it in and retreated back to his comfort zone of Realico.

Instead, he adapted to a foreign environment, created a new life in Italy and dedicated himself to football.

Don't worry about Mauri making it by; he has taken it several steps further by flourishing. 

Nation	Position	Age	Height	Weight
Argentina/Italy	CM/DM	18	5'7"	139 lbs

Credit: WhoScored.com.

This season, Mauri (247) is second to Roma's Sampdoria loanee, Alessio Romagnoli (277), in most minutes played for a Serie A teenager.

Short in stature but a pugnacious ball-winner, there are shades of Javier Mascherano-like grit from Mauri, who also possesses creativity and can turn on a dime.

In addition, Mauri is tactically flexible, as evident with how he is being used by Parma manager Roberto Donadoni.

• Parma 1-2 Roma: Played as a No. 6 situated in front of Parma centre-back Felipe.
• Udinese 4-2 Parma: Flashed box-to-box potential as a No. 8. Scored debut Serie A goal after receiving a pass from Parma deep-lying forward Antonio Cassano, swivelling away from Udinese right-back Silvan Widmer and shooting. 
• Parma 1-2 Genoa: Provided an industrious shift as a left-sided shuttler.

"The coach [Donadoni] has left me with a bit more freedom," Mauri said, per Football Italia. "Now I can look for space to receive the ball and to score goals."

Donadoni playing Mauri in a variety of roles suggests the Italian-Argentine can develop into a complete midfielder like Juventus' Arturo Vidal.

Credit: WhoScored.com.

In Europe's elite leagues (Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, Premier League and Serie A), Mauri (2.3) is second only to Bayer Leverkusen left attacking midfielder Levin Oztunali (3.3) in tackles per game for players aged 18 years or younger.

Mauri is exhibiting world-class upside, and Juventus are monitoring him, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia). 

It won't be just major European clubs looking to sign Mauri; he will reopen the nationality debate.

He is potentially the next high-profiled Oriundo should he choose Italy over his birth nation Argentina a la Mauro Camoranesi.

Provided Parma have not handicapped themselves with a nominal release clause in Mauri's contract, he could be the club's biggest cash cow since Gianluigi Buffon, per BBC Sport: "Juventus have clinched the signing of Italy's Gianluigi Buffon from Parma in a £23.3 million deal, a world record for a goalkeeper."

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Statistics via WhoScored.