My favorite is Merkel. He will be great player. I really hope we wont sell him 'cos he is new Shweinshtainger...

Date of birth: July 12, 1992
Club: Milan
Height: 1.710m Weight: 62kg
Nationality: Italian
Position: Trequartista / second striker / winger

Physical attributes...
Simone Verdi has been generating praise and followers over the past couple of years, excelling in Milan’s Primavera side and threatening to break into the first team set-up.

Physically not the tallest or the strongest, Verdi is sleight in frame, weighing lighter than Inter’s Philippe Coutinho, who is the same height, and only slightly heavier than the shorter Sebastian Giovinco. Verdi counters this current weakness with sharp pace and good balance. His running technique in possession is similar to that of Ricky Kaka, and just like the former Milan favourite, seemingly possesses ‘pace within a pace’, able to deceive defenders with sheer energy at top speed.

Technical attributes...
The 18-year-old’s style of play has drawn early comparisons to those of Brazilian footballers, his flicks and quick touches earning the nickname Verdinho. Predominantly right-footed but not afraid to use his left, whilst Verdi’s touch with a ball, particularly in full-flight running at defenders, closely resembles Kaka’s movement in a Milan shirt, the comparison is also favourable with Verdi’s ability and composure in front of goal, particularly from distance.

The player is confident in front of goal and last season formed a strong understanding with forwards Alexander Merkel and Gianmarco Zigoni, as well as regularly linking up through midfield with Rodney Strasser. The 2009-10 Primavera season saw Verdi net 16 times in League and Cup, as well as provide numerous assists.

Verdi’s tricks on the ball are not just for show, using clever footwork and accurate judgment to efficiently link-up with other players and maintain, if not generate, pace in attacking moves. He also strikes a mean free-kick. However, his physical attributes are currently one thing holding him back from the first team proper. Poor in the air, Verdi could find himself bullied out of games if he shows complacency on the ball.

Tactical attributes...
Thought of as a cross between a fantasista and winger, Verdi plays either behind the forward line as a trequartista or second striker, or on the flanks. His attributes and style of play generally see him occupy opposition full-backs, using his pace and neat touch on the ball to breeze past defenders, often providing accurate cut-backs and crosses to teammates in the box.

Verdi’s movement across the trequarti sees him hard to mark, whilst on the ball he likes to split defences with diagonal bursts either in-field from the wings, or centrally across the pitch. He remains just as capable of stretching defences with touchline-hugging runs.

Tactically should the player mature and gain top-flight experience, he represents another dimension for the Diavolo in attack, a genuine threat from wide, with creative foresight and an intuition to fit into 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations with ease.

Character...
The player’s agent has spoken of his delight in the progress the youngster has made in the past 12 months. Donato Orgnoni cites Verdi’s workrate and his personable character as key to his early success, two traits that put together have seen him impress on the field with the youth team at the same time as making many friends from teammates, and integrating very capably with the senior players when asked to train with them.

Market valuation...
July 2010 saw Verdi sign his first professional contract with Milan. It followed Adriano Galliani’s announcement that the player, along with three Primavera teammates, would join the first-team squad for 2010-11. However, despite spending pre-season with the senior players, Verdi’s promotion was put on hold with subsequent late summer transfer activity at the club.

It still shows, combined with featuring heavily again in the Young Player of the Year awards at the club, that the future for Verdi is with the Rossoneri. Current valuation due to limited age and experience cannot be put above €2m, but expect that to rise with every opportunity the youngster gets.

http://www.football-italia.net/scouting/verdi.html