Andrea Barzagli has highlighted five promising young defenders from Italy who could catch the attention of national team coach Gennaro Gattuso in the future. But who are these Azzurri prospects and when might they break into the national squad?
Recently, Barzagli was appointed as an assistant coach alongside Silvio Baldini for the Italy U21 team.
Barzagli Identifies Five Young Italian Defenders to Watch
In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Barzagli named five center-backs to keep an eye on in the coming years.
Giovanni Leoni, who transferred from Parma to Premier League champions Liverpool this summer, is among those mentioned.
Despite being the youngest defender on the list, Leoni has received his first call-up to the Italy national team. However, it remains uncertain how much playing time he will receive with Liverpool’s first team.
At just 18 years old, he has rapidly gained prominence since making his Serie A debut last November and becoming a regular starter for Parma in the latter half of last season.
He played a crucial role in ensuring Parma’s safety in Serie A and will now train alongside stars like Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate at Liverpool.
Another promising player identified by Barzagli is Luca Marianucci, who joined Napoli from Empoli this summer. The 21-year-old defender made 18 Serie A appearances last season and is versatile enough to adapt to a back three or four.
Two of the young players Barzagli recommended are currently playing in the Bundesliga. Fabio Chiarodia, born in Germany to Italian parents, transferred from Werder Bremen to Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023 and has already made several appearances in the top flight.
Filippo Mane is also competing in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. The 20-year-old joined Dortmund’s youth academy in 2022 after stints at Novara and Sampdoria.
Although he started in Dortmund’s opening match of the 2025-26 season, he is currently serving a suspension after receiving a red card in a match against St. Pauli.
Lastly, Gabriele Guarino, who is currently playing in Serie B with Empoli, is also on Barzagli’s radar. After spending last season on loan at Carrarese, Guarino is now facing a challenging season following Empoli’s relegation from Serie A.
