Exclusive: How Torino pipped Juventus to one of Italy's brightest prospects
It looks like Torino could well have a gem on their hands: Vittorio Parigini, who has scored eight goals in two seasons with Perugia, on loan from the Granata.
And yet, the 20-year-old - who was recently called up by Italy Coach Giampiero Ventura to camp - could easily have signed when he was with Juventus when he was very young, only to be nabbed by Torino at the last minute.
At the age of ten, the then-striker - who has since converted into a winger- has already shown how precocious he was, starring in the age category above his. Given the choice between Turin’s big two, he looked all set to go to Juventus, having passed a trial there and agreed to the outlines of a deal.
It was then that the head of Torino’s academy, Silvano Benedetti, met with Parigini (a native of the area, from a town called Moncalieri) and managed to swing him. The year was 2006.
Ten years on, Parigini has impressed everyone, doing well enough to earn a loan move to Chievo, where his 23 minutes so far are proof that he is being considered. Torino would have originally kept him, but decided to shift him again because of the stiff competition in attack.
And yet, the young winger is now the perfect candidate for Sinisa Mihaklovic’s attacking trio. Better, he has managed to find consistency in Serie B, and has become a regular of Italy’s Under-21s.
And to think that he could have gone to Juventus, everyone’s favourite recruiters of youth at the moment. I guess football is not without its ironies. Andrea Piva, adapted @EdoDalmonte
