In the world of football, young talents often wear the most unusual shirt numbers, ones that seasoned first-team players would never dream of. These players are generally with the club only for a summer, hoping for their big break. Each club has its promising young stars who train alongside the senior squad during the pre-season. For some, exciting opportunities may arise, perhaps before they transfer elsewhere to gain more experience.
This is the situation at Inter Milan, who are preparing for their upcoming match against Genoa while managing several player absences, including De Vrij, Zielinski, Arnautovic, and Buchanan. As a result, the club may turn to their Primavera team, which has already seen some action in friendly matches, to add depth to the bench.
One player to watch is Alessandro Fontanarosa, a young defender from San Gennaro Vesuviano, near Naples. Born in 2003, Fontanarosa spent last season on loan at Cosenza, where he made 21 appearances and accumulated over 1,000 minutes on the pitch. Primarily a central defender, he can also play as a left wing-back if needed. Inter signed him from Empoli when he was just 15 years old, and he has been involved with the youth national teams ever since.
Another exciting prospect is Thomas Berenbruch, born in Milan in 2005. Although he has yet to gain professional experience, his impressive performances in the Primavera—where he scored nine goals and provided ten assists—caught the attention of both Cristian Chivu, who previously managed the youth team, and Bernardo Corradi, who has since called him up to the Italy Under-19 squad. Berenbruch plays as a midfielder and is known for his technical skill, which allows him to also take on a more advanced role. He cites Mkhitaryan as his idol and often tries to emulate the midfielder’s style of play.
Daniele Quieto, another talent from the 2005 generation, hails from Venice and has Venezuelan roots. Like Berenbruch, he is still waiting for his first-team debut but impressively contributed five goals and four assists in the Primavera last season. Quieto typically plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger, showcasing a more offensive style than the full-back role in which Inzaghi has sometimes deployed him. His creativity was evident in a recent friendly against Pergolettese, where a clever play from him led to Salcedo’s goal, securing a victory for Inter. Quieto, much like Berenbruch, signed a long-term contract extension with the club last February.
As Inter navigates their current challenges, these young players could potentially shine and pave the way for their futures in professional football.
