It has been many moons since I was in any way excited for an up and coming GK in our ranks. Audero came and went onwards, elsewhere. Leali looked promising yet was signed at 19, not as a nipper. Whilst never getting a look in at Juve, he has gone on to enjoy a fairly successful career much like Audero. Nobody else comes to mind.
Giovanni Daffara however, continues to appear not just promising but an absolute joy at times to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57tVtb3dwbk
21 years of age and delivering a brilliant campaign on loan at Avellin. Reports regularly highlight his impressive skillset with scouts from the Azzurrini apparently present at recent matches.
Signed by Juve in 2019 (aged 15) when spotted playing for his home town club of Biellese, the kid rose quickly through the youth sector, leading to his senior debut for our Next Gen side in early 2023. A solid season in 24/25 with the NG squad was followed by a loan for the current campaign with Serie B outfit Avellino.
It took an injury to veteran shot-stopper Iannarilli to open the door for the youngster, who took the opportunity with aplomb and has rarely looked back since.
Important to note that his current club have a purchase option, and we have a counter option on that also. The loan deal runs presently until the end of June this year.
Given the fairly routine praise received from many quarters “Baby Buffon”, it is fair to assume Daffara will be playing at a higher level next term. But where precisely is a question which may not be answered until the Summer.
His reactions are electrically feline, often very exciting to watch. He gets down quickly, loves to parry firmly, swiftly jumps back on his feet to pounce again to make successive saves. Perhaps needs to learn to catch the ball more but that can be taught. My instincts suggest he is part cat biologically (as I always saw in Santo Buffon) so we must maintain in his training schedule trailing string appearing from all angles, as well as shots with a traditional football.
There is a wildness about him, and standing at 1m94, his size and brilliantly alert nature combined bodes well for the future.
My boyish idealism leans towards the idea of an experienced Pro and the kid brought into our main squad in the Summer/ With Daffara as understudy, groomed to grow into the role himself. Yet perhaps his development may be better served playing more regularly on loan in the top flight domestically or similar level elsewhere.
Regardless of where he ends up, I hope we retain his registration, show some belief in one of our long term talents risen through the club and that he finds opportunity to stake a claim in our first team squad.
We need to start showing more confidence in our home grown players. Too many have been sold at what seemed reasonable prices only to prove better and cheaper than those we have brought in to replace them.
Promotion from within is one of the key cornerstones of Comolli’s philosophy and I very much hope to see the club lean towards this as part of the clear strategy of the new management structure confirmed late last year.
There are other gems regularly impressing in our youth sector. Many would suggest the real star in the making is U17 offensive talent Thomas Corigliano(17). 12 goals and 18 assists from 19 league outings this season continues his remarkable form from the U16 campaign last year.
We cannot forget wide forward, Destiny Elimoghale (16), already fast tracked to the primavera and featuring regularly for club and country at Italy U18 level.
Captaining Padoin’s squad alongside the fleet footed attacker is promising CB, Francesco Verde(19). I believe some have compared his qualities to a certain Chiellini, Giorgio not his brother!
A final mention for offensive left fullback, David Puczka (21). The Austrian has 8 goals, and 4 assists from 28 appearances for the NG side and is looking surely worth considering by Spalletti in the Summer.
