Serie A talent to watch: Five prospects who could follow in Joshua Zirkzee’s footsteps after Man United move

The 2024-25 Serie A season is around the corner and there are some interesting talents that are looking to establish themselves on the radar of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. A year ago it was Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee who starting shining at Bologna and then moved before moving to Manchester United during the current summer transfer window. Let’s now try to think who can be the next Zirkzee, a player that wasn’t well known before, but can become one of the stars of the upcoming Serie A season. 

1. Matias Soule, AS Roma

The new Giallorossi player is definitely one of the most interesting talents to watch this season. The 21-year-old Soule joined from Juventus this summer after AS Roma paid around €30 million, add-ons included, to sign the talented Argentinian striker after he scored 11 goals in 36 Serie A games last season on loan at Frosinone. Juventus decided to turn his strong year into an immediate profit and take the money for his exit, but AS Roma were ready to sign him and he will play alongside Paulo Dybala, and will create one of the most creative attacking lineups to support the central striker, Artem Dovbyk, who was also just signed from Girona. Roma are probably the best place he could end up, and Daniele De Rossi is eager to transform him into one of the best players in Serie A. 

2. Dennis Man, Parma

The Romanian winger is a player that we need to monitor this season. When he arrived from Steaua Bucarest at Parma in January 2021 there was an immediate feeling that he could become an important player, but the fact that Parma were relegated to the second division didn’t help his growth at the highest levels of European soccer. Surprisingly enough, he decided to stay at the club where he played three seasons in the second division before winning the league last year and was promoted again to the Serie A. Man scored also 24 goals in 108 games at Parma and was also a key player for Romania at the UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, when they only lost to Netherlands in the Round of 16. 

3. Giovanni Fabbian, Bologna

He was also one of the main faces of Bologna last season, when the Italian club managed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League under Thiago Motta. This season, it probably will be much more difficult for them to repeat their accomplishments after the departures of players such as Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori, who joined Arsenal. During the 2023-24 season, Fabbian scored five goals in 29 games and was an important part of the squad for Motta, as he could play in different roles in the midfield. Inter have the right to buy him back in the summer of 2025 from Bologna for €12 million, after selling him for €5 million in the summer of 2023. The Nerazzurri will likely do that, and then decide to either keep him or sell him for a bigger fee. This season will probably tell us more also about their potential strategy. 

4. Michael Kayode – Fiorentina

The Fiorentina right back is one of the most interesting names of the young Italian talents playing Serie A soccer this season. Kayode (20) already had a strong debut season in the Italian first division under Vincenzo Italiano as he scored one goal but most importantly played 36 games in all competitions. Kayode can become one of the most valuable right wingers under new manager Raffaele Palladino, who will definitely consider him one of the most interesting players in the roster and apparently sees him also as a center-back. For sure, we will hear a lot from him in the coming years. Remember his name. 

5. Sebastiano Esposito, Empoli 

You probably already heard his name. Sebastiano Esposito already played Serie A soccer when he made his professional debut under Antonio Conte at Inter in 2019 and scored his first goal at Inter. Since then, Eposito, who is still only 22, started a journey around Europe that led him to play FC Basel, Anderlecht, Bari and lastly at Sampdoria where he had a strong season scoring six goals in 23 games under former Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo. He’s now back in the Italian Serie A and he will play at Empoli, where he will finally have the chance to play as a starter. A big chance for him and his future.