Just Football’s on-going Generation Next series aims to profile the best young players in the world. Blair Newman joins us to give the inside track on the latest home-grown talent emerging at Roma: Daniele Verde.

Date of Birth: 20th June 1996

Age: 18

Position: Winger/Striker

Club: Roma

Nationality: Italian

T here have been portentous signs surrounding Francesco Totti’s future in recent months. It might be heresy to suggest that a man who has murals depicting him dotted around the city may soon be cast as surplus to requirements at the club he supported as a boy, but the aging legend may be coming to the end of his time with Roma.

Come September of this year Totti will be 39-years-old. It’s remarkable that he continues to possess such a position of influence with a club chasing domestic honours given his relatively advanced age, but that influence is undoubtedly diminishing. His form has been generally poor of late, something inextricably linked not just to the fact that Gervinho has been away representing the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations, but also to the passing of time.

Totti still shows flickers of genius, such as his two-goal salvo in the Rome derby to haul his team back from the brink of defeat, but these moments are all too rare now, and too often of late has he been seen trudging to the bench before the final whistle; substituted having failed to impact upon the game.

With Totti’s declining status and Gervinho’s absence Roma’s attack was in desperate need of an injection of verve. This trait may have been found via home-grown solution in the shape of Daniele Verde.

Who is Daniele Verde?

A short, squat 18-year-old, Verde is widely classified as a winger or striker. It is in the former role that the young Italian has seen his playing time for Roma. A left-footer, Verde has thus far shown himself to be equally adept when cutting in from the right hand side as he is going round the outside on the opposite flank. He has a low centre of gravity which, combined with a strong physique, makes him difficult to shift off the ball.

He made his debut last month on January 17th, coming on as a substitute for Juan Manuel Iturbe in a 1-1 draw away to Palermo. It was a fairly inconspicuous start, but Verde would eventually make his mark on a different island across the Tyrrhenian Sea. On his first start for Roma – against the Sardinians of Cagliari – Verde played an integral part in securing three crucial points for his side.

With half-time approaching, Roma earned a free-kick on the right hand side, deep in Cagliari territory. Miralem Pjanic took it, passing to Adem Llajic. Llajic laid it inside to Verde, who was hovering around the outside of the box, and continued his run. Verde indulged the Serb’s movement by nonchalantly dinking a left-footed chip into the six yard box and into the path of Ljajic, who shot home to give Roma the lead.

Cagliari continued to compete with the capital side, however, refusing to go away and pestering their visitors every so often with the threat of an equaliser. With 84 minutes on the clock, Verde was set free down the left flank by a long ball towards the corner flag. Sprinting clear of the chasing defender, he fired a first time, half-volleyed cross to the other side of the penalty box where fellow youngster Leandro Paredes was waiting to drill home.

Roma survived a late consolation to win 2-1, with both goals having been supplied by Verde. Had the youngster not been on hand the Giallorossi may not have won the game; such was the impact of his attacking contribution.

What next for Verde?

With Gervinho once again available for selection having helped Ivory Coast to African Cup of Nations success, Verde is likely to return to the bench, at least in Serie A matches. Given the number of more experienced players set to come back in the coming weeks, including new signings Victor Ibarbo and Seydou Doumbia as well as Alessandro Florenzi and Juan Manuel Iturbe, Verde’s pitch time will undoubtedly take a hit, but he did start the first leg o Roma’s Europa League tie against Feyenoord.

This all means that Verde’s breakout performance in Serie A could essentially be nothing more than a short stand-in; much appreciated but not culminating in a regular starting berth. It’s understandable given Roma are seven points behind Juventus in the race for the scudetto. With the title race at stake in every game, manager Rudi Garcia will not wish to place so monumental a burden on such inexperienced shoulders. Instead Verde can be expected to feature in Roma’s Europa League campaign, and continue his role in their primavera, where he has aided the team into the knockout stages of this season’s UEFA Youth League.

How good can he be?

Roma are comfortable bringing through their own youngsters; the most recent example of this attitude being the flourishing of the aforementioned Florenzi, whose versatility, work-rate and energy is greatly valued by Garcia. Verde looks even better than Florenzi, though.

Even at this early stage Verde’s initial performances have generated great levels of anticipation as to exactly where this young forward’s ceiling is. With explosive acceleration, an imposing dribbling style and creative flair, Verde has the audacious hallmarks of an excellent attacking player who will most likely be at his best coming inside off the right flank on to his favoured left foot.

Verde has already established himself within the Italian under-19 squad this campaign and come next season his chances of first-team football at club level may improve. New arrivals Ibarbo and Doumbia are bigger and stronger than Verde but whether or not they fit Roma’s intricate passing style is yet to be determined. Iturbe is similar to Verde but has not been particularly effective in his first six months with the club since joining from Verona, while Florenzi’s versatility will likely see him utilised outside of the forward line unless absolutely necessary. These uncertainties, combined with Totti’s decline, may open the door for Verde come 2016.

C learly Verde is laden with talent and, as evidenced with his eye-catching display last weekend, he fits Roma’s playing style and tactical system. With one Roman fading into the gallery of Roman icons past, it will be comforting for Roma fans to see Verde gradually rising to the occasion. He might be from Naples, and he may not be the match of Totti in quality, status or even playing style, but Daniele Verde might give Roma exactly what they need in the coming years.

Main photo credit: Mike Wright via Flickr.